IPRA Appoints Nigerian Media Entrepreneur Gidado Shuaib as UN Youth Representative

Nigerian media entrepreneur and public relations professional, Gidado Shuaib, has been appointed as a United Nations Youth Representative by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), the world’s foremost global body for PR practitioners.

The appointment was conveyed in a letter signed by IPRA Secretary‑General Philip Sheppard, who stated that Shuaib would work with the association’s UN Bureau in New York, represented by Jim McQueeny and Matt Cossel, to deepen IPRA’s engagement with the United Nations on youth‑centred initiatives and global development discussions.

The announcement comes as Nigerian PR firms, including Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR) and LSF PR, have been shortlisted in several categories of the 2026 Golden World Awards (GWA). In addition, the Comptroller‑General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, is expected to receive a special recognition at the awards ceremony scheduled for September 25, 2026, in Athens, Greece.

Shuaib currently serves as Special Assistant to the Director‑General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), where he is involved in strategic communication, media relations, stakeholder engagement and public affairs. He is also a Digital Communications Specialist at Baze University and consults for organisations such as the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Nigeria’s chapter of Transparency International.

Widely regarded as a rising figure in Nigeria’s media and communications space, Shuaib is the Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of Youths Digest, producers of News Digest Nigeria, and the founder of the Campus Journalism Awards, which is now in its eighth edition.

The awards platform has become one of the country’s leading initiatives for mentoring and celebrating young journalists while promoting ethical journalism and responsible public discourse.

His professional career includes experience with prominent media organisations such as the BBC, Premium Times and Daily Trust. He has also contributed to national conversations on governance, youth development and strategic communication through opinion articles, media commentary and interviews.

Shuaib is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), the African Public Relations Association (APRA) and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).

Beyond journalism and public relations, he convenes the Campus Journalism Dialogues, edits Musings of Young Minds and advocates for greater civic participation among young Nigerians.

In 2015, he represented Nigeria at the Youth Assembly of the United Nations, where he joined youth leaders from across the world to discuss sustainable development and international policy issues.

Shuaib, who holds the traditional title of Shettiman Dukawuya, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Baze University, Abuja, and a Master’s degree in Media, Campaigning and Social Change from the University of Westminster, London. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Development Communication at Nasarawa State University.

Founded in 1955, IPRA remains the world’s premier international association for public relations professionals, promoting ethical practice, professional excellence and global standards in public relations.

Through its UN Bureau, the association seeks to strengthen the voice of PR professionals within the United Nations system while encouraging greater youth participation in global policymaking and sustainable development initiatives.