Efe Obiomah, a marketing strategist and veteran trainer with two decades of experience, has announced the release of her second book, How to Build a Successful Public Relations Career in Nigeria, set for launch on Monday, February 16, 2026.

Coming on the heels of her 20th anniversary in the field, Obiomah’s latest work is less of a memoir and more of a technical manual for the modern “Influence Economy.”

It follows her 2025 literary debut, The Unfettered Woman, but pivots sharply back to the corporate and strategic roots the industry has been waiting for.

Solving for the “Market Gap” in PR Education

For years, Nigerian PR practitioners have relied on Western textbooks that often fail to account for the unique cultural nuances, regulatory hurdles, and media dynamics of the local market. Obiomah identifies this as a critical failure in the sector’s talent pipeline.

“As a young PR practitioner, I longed for books from industry veterans that I could learn from, but there were none,” Obiomah stated. “As an established practitioner and trainer, I searched for local authors I could recommend to my students but still couldn’t find any compelling enough. My book fills this market gap.”

The “Influence and Progression” Framework

Beyond debunking the common misconception that PR is merely “press release distribution,” the book introduces a proprietary technical framework: The Influence and Progression Model.

Designed as a blueprint for managing internal stakeholders and navigating the corporate ladder, the model aims to move PR from a “support function” to a “strategic boardroom seat.”

The book also provides a comparative analysis of In-house vs. Agency practice and provides localized case studies that translate global theory into Nigerian street-smart execution.

Why PR Documentation Matters Now

As Nigeria targets a $1 trillion economy, the role of strategic communications in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and managing digital risk is paramount.

However, the PR industry in Nigeria has historically struggled with a lack of standardized “foundational knowledge” for entry-level talent.

By codifying 20 years of experience in marketing and PR into a structured resource, Obiomah is providing a “Growth Hack” for the next generation of communicators.

In a market where digital disruption has blurred the lines between marketing, PR, and journalism, this book serves as a foundational “operating system” for anyone navigating Nigeria’s complex media landscape.

“There is no public relations book like it in Nigeria,” Obiomah added. “It will provide aspiring practitioners with the foundational knowledge they need to thrive, while offering established professionals tools to strengthen their practice.”

At the centre of that sequencing has been the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, whose framing of security, capital mobilisation, and reform discipline has increasingly influenced how investors perceive Nigeria.

The year began with the government focused on repairing the analytical foundations of economic planning.

In early 2025, Nigeria completed a long-awaited rebasing of its Gross Domestic Product to a 2019 base year, a technical exercise led by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) that expanded the measured contribution of services, ICT, and the informal economy.

According to the NBS, the rebasing placed nominal GDP at about ₦372.8 trillion, equivalent to roughly $240–250 billion, giving policymakers and investors a clearer picture of economic structure and scale.

That reset mattered. It framed the fiscal choices that followed, including tighter expenditure controls, tax administration reforms, and coordination with monetary authorities to slow inflation and stabilise the foreign-exchange market.

By the fourth quarter of 2025, inflation which had exceeded 24 percent earlier in the year, began a steady descent, reaching about 14.45 percent by November 2025.

Foreign reserves strengthened toward $47 billion, reinforcing external buffers and signalling improved balance-of-payments management, trends noted by multilateral institutions including the World Bank and Afreximbank in their 2025 outlooks for Nigeria.

By mid-year, the reform narrative shifted from stabilisation to confidence, and nowhere was that clearer than in Nigeria’s capital markets.

The Nigerian Exchange closed 2025 as one of Africa’s strongest-performing bourses, with the All-Share Index up about 49 per cent year-to-date by late December.

Total market capitalisation across equities, debt, and ETFs rose to nearly ₦150 trillion, driven by strong earnings, bank recapitalisation, and new listings, according to the NGX Group chairman, Umaru Kwairanga.

Banking reform was pivotal. As part of recapitalisation efforts aimed at strengthening credit transmission and financial stability, Nigerian banks raised an estimated ₦2.5 trillion in fresh capital by December 2025 through rights issues, private placements, and public offers, according to NGX filings and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approvals.

The capital raising reinforced balance sheets and helped drive the market rally, underscoring the link between prudential reform and investor confidence.

Debt markets told a similar story. Between April and October 2025, companies raised over ₦753 billion through commercial paper issuances to finance short-term working capital needs across manufacturing, energy, and agriculture.

“These figures are not just numbers; they represent confidence in our regulatory framework and the resilience of our market architecture,” said Emomotimi Agama, director-general of the SEC, in a public briefing on capital-raising approvals. Landmark transactions, including a ₦500 billion climate-linked SPV and a ₦200 billion Elektron Finance bond, pointed to growing appetite for infrastructure and sustainable finance.

Corporate earnings reinforced the macro signal. MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, one of the Exchange’s largest listed companies, delivered one of the year’s most striking turnarounds.

By the first nine months of 2025, the telecoms giant reported revenues of ₦3.73 trillion, up 57 per cent year-on-year, and profit after tax of about ₦750 billion, reversing prior losses.

Capital expenditure exceeded ₦565 billion in the first half of the year alone, underscoring confidence in Nigeria’s digital future and the policy direction of the telecoms sector.

Other blue-chip firms, including Dangote Cement, posted strong earnings with profit after tax exceeding ₦520 billion, reinforcing the sense that reform was translating into corporate resilience rather than contraction.

Amid these developments, Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector also began to reflect the macroeconomic stabilisation delivered by policy reforms. After several years of losses driven by foreign-exchange volatility and inflationary pressures, major FMCG firms recorded a notable rebound in 2025 as currency conditions improved.

The sector posted 54.1 per cent value growth in 2025, up from 34.3 per cent in 2024, according to a report by global data and analytics firm NielsenIQ.

Nigerian consumers continued to underpin demand, lifting the FMCG market to an estimated value of $25 billion, the second largest in Africa after South Africa’s $27.5 billion market.

Across the continent, the five largest FMCG markets; South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco and Kenya, together account for about $42 billion in total value.

Nigeria’s growth rate outpaced its peers. Egypt expanded by 23.1 per cent to $10.2 billion, Morocco grew 7.6 per cent to $7.5 billion, and Kenya increased 5.5 per cent to $3.3 billion, highlighting Nigeria’s outsized contribution to regional momentum.

At the company level, Nestlé Nigeria Plc returned to profitability, posting a ₦88.4 billion pre-tax profit in the first half of 2025, compared with a ₦252.5 billion loss in the same period a year earlier.

The turnaround was supported by a 43 per cent increase in revenue to ₦581.1 billion and more stable cost structures.

Broader market data reflected the recovery. FMCG stocks delivered strong performances on the Nigerian Exchange, with the consumer goods index posting solid gains and several stocks recording returns of more than 100 per cent over the year as investor confidence returned to the sector.

“Nigeria’s FMCG story is one of grit and innovation,” said Dr Tayo Ajayi, a Lagos-based consumer market analyst. “Even when the economy is under pressure, Nigerians adjust their spending habits rather than stop spending. That adaptability is what keeps the sector alive.”

Energy and industrial policy formed the next layer of the reform arc. The Dangote Refinery, already operating at 650,000 barrels per day, confirmed plans to expand capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day, a move analysts say could significantly reduce fuel imports, ease pressure on foreign exchange, and strengthen Nigeria’s trade balance.

The refinery has become emblematic of the government’s push to support large-scale local production as a substitute for imports and a magnet for global capital.

At the national level, NNPC Ltd continued its post-commercialisation reset. Group Chief Executive Bayo Ojulari said recent operational improvements reflected structural reforms within the company, noting that oil production rose from about 1.5 million barrels per day in 2024 to over 1.7 million barrels per day in 2025.

He also highlighted the strategic importance of the 614-kilometre Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) gas pipeline, designed to transport 2.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day, in unlocking industrial growth in northern Nigeria.

Ojulari said the company’s focus for 2026 would be attracting new investments, lifting output to at least 1.8 million barrels per day, and supporting President Bola Tinubu’s directive for NNPC to help attract $30 billion in investments by 2030.

Infrastructure and future-facing sectors rounded out the year. Progress continued on the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, with financing of approximately $1.126 billion secured by the Ministry of Finance and the Economy for Phase 1, Section 2 of the road, a signature project of the Tinubu administration.

President Tinubu stated:

“This is a major achievement, and closing this transaction means the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway will continue unimpeded. Our administration will continue to explore available funding opportunities to execute critical economic and priority infrastructural projects across the country”.

Port decentralisation plans in southern Nigeria, along with digital-skills programmes under the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy including the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative led by Minister Bosun Tijani, complemented the infrastructure drive (FMOCDE). The creative economy, encompassing film, music, fashion, and digital content, remained a fast-growing source of jobs and exports, increasingly recognised in policy circles as a serious economic asset.

The year’s most sensitive test of investor confidence came in its final week. On 25 December, US forces conducted targeted airstrikes against Islamic State-linked camps in Sokoto State, in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

The government moved quickly to frame the action as part of a broader stability agenda. In a statement released on 28 December, Wale Edun stressed that “security and economic stability are inseparable,” describing the operation as “precise, intelligence-led and focused exclusively on terrorist elements that threaten lives, national stability, and economic activity.”

He added that Nigeria “is not at war with itself or any nation, but is confronting terrorism alongside trusted international partners,” a distinction aimed squarely at markets and multilateral partners.

That framing captured the essence of Nigeria’s 2025 reform story. Security was not presented as an isolated military matter, but as an economic input, a prerequisite for investment, production, and growth.

As Edun noted,

“Every effort to safeguard Nigerians is, by definition, pro-growth and pro-investment,” a message calibrated for investors as markets prepared to reopen.

Nigeria enters 2026 with risks still evident, but with clearer direction. The proposed ₦58.18 trillion federal budget for 2026, anchored on revenue mobilisation, infrastructure spending, and deficit restraint, reflects an effort to consolidate gains rather than reset strategy.

For investors, the signal from 2025 is not perfection, but coherence: policy, security, and markets increasingly moving in the same direction.

For an economy long defined by stops and starts, that alignment may prove the most valuable reform of all.

*David Okon is a marketing communications and policy consultant at Quadrant MSL, a part of the Publicis Groupe and Troyka+Insight Redefini Group.

The data from 2025 paints a compelling picture of a nation pivoting toward stability. Headline inflation, which sat at a staggering 34.8% in December 2024, underwent a significant decline through 2025, cooling to 14.45% by November.

This disinflationary trend, paired with economic reforms such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC) aggressive reforms and strategic shifts in the Oil and Gas sector, has effectively reopened the floodgates for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

The narrative has shifted from a desperate scramble for survival to a strategic quest for sustainability. Investors who were once hesitant are now looking at Nigeria not as a volatility risk, but as a market undergoing profound structural re-engineering.

This transition is marked by a renewed focus on transparency and a commitment to market-driven policies that reward institutional resilience and long-term planning.

Building on the stability achieved last year, 2026 is projected to be a period of “Growth Consolidation.” With GDP expansion forecasted between 4.1% and 4.2% and headline inflation expected to settle into a manageable range of 12.5% to 20%, the mandate for brands should shift.

It is no longer about merely surviving the storm of volatility; it is about scaling within high-impact corridors that have been cleared by these macroeconomic reforms.

Strategic opportunities are ripening in four key sectors: Energy, driven by the Electricity Act 2023 and NERC’s cost-reflective market reforms; healthcare, anchored by the landmark $5.1B Bilateral MOU between the U.S. and Nigeria; financial services fueled by post-recapitalization lending power; and the Digital Economy, accelerated by the 5G rollout and the maturity of social commerce.

Brands playing in these spaces and other industries must recognize that the consumer of 2026 is more discerning, having been refined by the economic hardships of the past, and will only reward businesses that offer clear value and authentic connection.

Perhaps the most pivotal anchor for 2026 is that $2 billion bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the U.S. and Nigeria.

This five-year agreement, which began its full implementation cycle in early 2026, is far more than a healthcare play; it is a massive economic stimulus and a resounding vote of global confidence in Nigeria’s institutional reforms.

It signals that Nigeria is ready for high-level international cooperation and that the groundwork for a stable, productive economy is being laid. As we march toward the ambitious goal of a $1 trillion economy by 2030, visibility is no longer the endgame for any serious brand.

To survive and thrive during this transition from subsistence to high productivity, brands must be deeply understood.

It is about moving from the “top of mind” awareness to “top of heart” resonance, where the brand’s purpose aligns with the aspirations of a nation on the move.

In the fast-evolving communications landscape of 2026, visibility has become a cheap commodity, but clarity is a premium asset.

The Public Relations industry has officially entered the era of Narrative Intelligence. Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is being rapidly superseded by Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

As consumers increasingly rely on AI agents and large language models (LLMs) rather than scrolling through pages of search results, brands must ensure they aren’t just “present” on the web, they must be cited as authoritative, credible voices by AI models.

This requires a shift from keyword stuffing to high-context storytelling and data-backed authority. If an AI agent cannot summarize your brand’s value proposition accurately in two sentences, you are effectively invisible to the next generation of digital consumers. Narrative Intelligence is about ensuring your brand’s story is coherent, consistent, and machine-readable across all digital touchpoints.

However, this AI-driven world brings a darker side – the proliferation of Deepfakes and hyper-realistic misinformation. As the 2027 political cycle begins to warm up in late 2026, the Nigerian digital space could become a minefield of synthetic media designed to manipulate public opinion.

For brands, this represents a significant reputational risk. PR professionals must now act as “Narrative Bodyguards,” deploying advanced AI detection tools to monitor, detect, and neutralize synthetic media before it erodes brand equity.

Authenticity is no longer a buzzword or a marketing slogan; it is a defensive necessity.

Brands must lean into “Responsible Communication,” ensuring that every piece of content is verifiable and that their response mechanisms for crisis management are faster than the speed of a viral deepfake. Trust, once lost in this high-speed environment, is nearly impossible to regain.

The era of the “Press Release for the sake of it” is officially dead. In 2026, Nigerian boardrooms are demanding a direct, quantifiable line between PR activity and business impact.

This marks the definitive death of vanity metrics. Success is no longer measured by the thickness of a press clipping file or the number of generic “likes” on a social media post.

Instead, we are seeing a shift from volume to impact, where the primary KPIs are how a campaign drives customer acquisition, increases investor interest, or improves employee retention. Measurement has shifted focus to quality over quantity; it is about the sentiment of the conversation and the conversion rate of the audience.

If your PR strategy does not move the needle on the set measurable objectives, it is considered mere noise. PR is now a performance-driven discipline, integrated deeply into the sales and growth funnels of the modern Nigerian enterprise.

The age of the N100 million celebrity brand ambassador is also rapidly fading. Battle-hardened by years of economic shifts and broken promises, Nigerian consumers are increasingly skeptical of high-gloss, low-substance celebrity endorsements.

In 2025, the Creator Economy has professionalized and matured. We will see the ascendancy of Niche Creators, the personal finance expert on TikTok, the sustainable farmer on YouTube, or the tech-policy analyst on Instagram. These voices offer what traditional celebrities cannot: community, deep credibility, and a mastery of their craft.

Brands in 2026 will pivot toward long-term “Responsible Communication” partnerships with these creators who speak the hyper-local language of their audience. The “next big creator” is no longer a movie star; they are a subject matter expert with a loyal, high-intent community that values authentic insight over superficial fame.

While we must continue to support and prioritize independent media platforms to maintain democratic health, the reality is that traditional newsrooms continue to shrink under the weight of digital disruption. In response, savvy brands are increasingly becoming their own media houses.

“Owned Media“, newsletters, podcasts, proprietary research reports, and custom-built community platforms, is the new frontier for brand storytelling.

By owning the platform, brands can ensure their story is not diluted or lost in the noise of a fragmented media landscape.

This allows for Direct Empathy, speaking to the consumer’s daily reality without a third-party filter. It provides Narrative Control, which is essential in an era of deepfakes, and grants Data Ownership, allowing brands to deeply understand who is engaging with their story and why.

Owned media is the bridge that moves a brand from being seen to being truly understood and must be a strategy for 2026.

The 2026 landscape is a high-stakes arena of immense complexity and opportunity. With the active involvement of global powers like China, Russia, and the USA in trade and commerce, and a renewed national commitment to fighting insecurity to protect the $1 trillion goal, Nigeria is a land of profound transformation.

But for a brand to capture this opportunity, it must move beyond the surface-level metrics of the past. Brands must empathize through genuine partnerships, drive cross-sector collaboration, and tell stories that resonate with the Nigerian spirit of resilience.

The verdict for the year is clear: Trust is the new currency.

In a world of AI-generated noise and economic restructuring, the brands that win will be those that have spent the time to build a foundation of understanding.

The mandate for 2026 is simple: Don’t just show up. Ensure your audience knows exactly who you are, what you stand for, and why you are essential to their future.

The partnership aimed at bolstering the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, was unveiled during the media engagement meeting for ANNIH S2 at TRANSCORP HILTON Abuja recently.

The organisers have stated that the season 2 of A New Nigeria Is Here documentary series will commence airing on August 12^th, 2025 on CHANNELS NETWORK, NEWS CENTRAL Africa with a review on CNN and special Unicorn editions on CNBC Africa, AIT NETWORK, TVC and ARISE NEWS, to reach every corner of the globe through the YouTube Channels, Africa Got Stories.

Speaking at the media parley, Mr. Jide Peters, Project Coordinator of ANNIH, said,

“This isn’t just a documentary series; it’s a cinematic journey, a weekly exploration into the heart of Nigeria’s transformative odyssey and economic drivers under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope.”

“With the endorsement of the Presidency, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi, and executive oversight from the Office of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, this landmark project is poised to amplify Nigeria’s powerful emergence as Africa’s undeniable innovation and economic powerhouse”, he added.

He said,

“ANNIH S2 is more than a documentary series; it is a vibrant tapestry woven from public and private sector triumphs, blending exclusive, candid interviews with grassroots storytelling and profound policy insights. Each compelling 30-minute episode promises to captivate an estimated 300 million viewers globally.”

This season delves deep into the key pillars defining Nigeria’s “Fennaissance” (Financial + Renaissance), which is economic renaissance unpacking the bold reforms in fiscal policy, the relentless drive in infrastructure development, and the explosive growth in digital innovation that are propelling Nigeria toward its ambitious goal towards a $1 trillion economy.

Mr. Peters stated that the rise of Nigeria’s industrial hubs, from Lagos to Aba, to Nnewi and the policies unlocking private-sector growth is well told in the documentary series of ANNIH season 2.

Speaking about the ANNIH, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chairman of Innoson Group said, “We are supporting this New Nigeria Project. It is the best. Let everybody support this system that the present government is talking about buying made in Nigeria products. Buying made in Nigeria products is the only way to move this country forward”.

In the same vein, the CEO of BOI, Dr Olasupo Olusi, stated that “I Am looking forward to a Nigeria where every young person in this country believes that this country would work for them. We must make sure that we build the kind of Nigeria that we want to see. A NEW NIGERIA Is here” he added.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi said, “We are seeing an investment in the future of not just our Children, but our grandchildren that is already beginning to manifest. Mr President is returning this country to prosperity. I am proud to be a Nigerian. A New Nigeria is indeed here”

Meanwhile the executive chairman of FIRS, Dr. Zacch Adedeji encouraged Nigerians to support the new initiative and work to support the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We are supporting and working with Mr President’s vision to actually banish poverty in Nigeria.” Adedeji added.

Youth and innovation have become shining a spotlight on the dynamic of young entrepreneurs, the burgeoning tech unicorns, and the resilient SMEs that are courageously reshaping industries from the fintech revolution such as Flutterwave, Interswitch to agricultural revitalization (NALDA) and the promise of clean energy are some glittering examples of what the Renewed Hope Programmes have offered.

“Public-Private Synergy Documenting the high-impact collaborations forging a new path for progress, showcasing the seamless dance between vital institutions (NDIC, FIRS, BOI) and private giants (Innoson Group, BUA Group) collaborating to reshape Nigeria’s economic landscape.”

He said, “Global Repositioning Directly countering outdated stereotypes by powerfully showcasing Nigeria’s investment-ready sectors, Debunking myths and showcasing Nigeria as the premier investment destination in Africa, with insights on dollar liquidity reforms, tax incentives, and sectoral opportunities.  beckoning both the diaspora and international investors to join in this monumental growth story.”

The Project Coordinator of ANNIH S2 revealed that the major partners driving the Season2 of ‘A New Nigeria is Here Unicorn docu-series are: Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM) Motors, Bank of Industry (BOI) – Ministry of Finance, FIRS, Alami Capital, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Air Peace, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and Sahara Group.

“ANNIH S2” features bringing together an illustrious lineup of contributors, influential leaders, innovators and unsung heroes who are the architects and drivers of the new Nigeria.

From Government, Wale Edun, Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development, Kafilat Ogbara, Member, House of Representatives, Mohammed Idris Malagi, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development) and Senator John Owan Enoh, Minister of Industry-State will feature.

Featuring from the private Sector end are Olugbenga “GB” Agboola, CEO, Flutterwave, Samuel Chen, CEO, Felicity Solar, Olu Olufemi-White, CEO Alami Capital, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Founder & Chairman, Innoson Group, Samuel Ogbodo, MD/CEO, SUNU Assurances Nigeria PLC, Kola Adesina, Group Managing Director, Sahara Group, and Mitchell Elegbe, MD & Group CEO, Interswitch.

Those from Regulatory Bodies include Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, DG/CEO, NITDA, Cornelius Oluwasegun Adebayo, Executive Secretary/CEO, NALDA, Dr. Olasupo Olusi, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry, Abba Abubakar Aliyu, MD, Rural Electrification Agency, Engr. Farouk Ahmed of NMDPRA, Engr. Uzoma Nwagba, MD/CEO, Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, and Engr. Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz, MD/CEO, Transmission Company of Nigeria among others.

From the Law Enforcement and Security, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi and Executive Secretary, Nigeria Police Trust Fund, Mohammed Sheidu have featured as well as some grassroots unsung heroes in rural agripreneurs, innovative tech founders, and community leaders whose daily efforts are shaping the future and rewriting Nigeria’s Story from the ground up.

Lead Project Africa, the Project Consultant for A New Nigeria is Here, is a strategic consultant to the Presidency on economic development Projects.

“Our focus is to unveil and project in a good light on all local and international platforms, the outstanding deliverables of private and public sectors of the nation’s economy without compromise,” Peters added.