In the contemporary era, the vital roles of effective communication and public relations have become increasingly apparent in Africa's most populous country.
Nigeria has one of the largest youth populations in the world, with an estimated 70 percent of the population under the age of 30 and a median age of about 18.1 years.
To prepare these young minds for the demands of today's competitive public relations professional landscape, NECCI Roundtable has unveiled the Pulse Essay Award Competition.
According to the Convenor/Founder of NECCI Roundtable Discussions, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, the initiative is designed to equip students with critical skills in communication, analysis and professionalism.
He emphasized that the aim of this initiative is to produce knowledgeable and skilled public relations professionals who will make a significant impact in the industry.
“We envision this award to grow into a prestigious annual award that recognizes and nurtures outstanding talents in public relations.
He added, “Over time, the PR Pulse Awards will expand to include all areas and categories of the field, ultimately establishing itself as a distinguished honor equal to the Pulitzer Prize.”
This can be said to be in line with the ideas of Eleanor Roosevelt, the one-time First Lady of the United States, who once said, “The purpose of education must be at the center of education and education systems. And that is the only way education can go beyond literacy, which is the key to developing and transforming society.”
With a competition like the Pulse Essay Award, the education sector will serve as an important provider of human capital, equipping individuals with the necessary skills and enhancing their intellectual skills to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the nation.
Experts argue that good education not only serves to develop the learner's understanding of established knowledge but also sharpens the learner's mind and enhances their capacity for thinking, creativity and innovation so that they become active creators of new knowledge.
Apparently, the NECCI Essay Competition is designed to achieve recognition in the communication sector of Nigeria, especially among students of tertiary institutions across the country.
Speaking with BusinessDay, Ali-Balogun revealed that there are plans to increase the prize money to boost the interests of students. However, he stressed that apart from the prize money, there are also plans to attract young and outstanding talents from the competition.
As one of the largest and most vibrant youth populations in the world, Nigeria's youth group is a key demographic that deserves thorough attention and understanding.
Experts believe that effective communication strategies help bridge the gap, foster mutual understanding, trust and collaboration between youth and diverse stakeholders.
This demographic dominance in Nigeria presents a significant opportunity for economic growth, therefore, there is a need to capture and nurture the youth for maximum economic and social benefits.
Educating Nigerian youth should not be left in the hands of the government alone, it is a good thing that the NECCI Roundtable is leading by example, as education is vital to developing human potential.
However, education not only develops people intellectually; It also plays an important role in the development of social dimensions of the individual and citizenry.
Well-educated individuals are not only confident in leading fulfilling personal lives, but also actively engage in problem-solving in their social contexts, thereby enhancing overall social well-being and promoting social cohesion.
They are equipped not only with the intellectual capacity to think and know, but also with a deep sense of character, community and citizenship.
Education plays an active role in the socio-economic development of a nation by actively contributing to educating its people about the essential character, roles and responsibilities of citizenship.
Furthermore, education promotes social cohesion and the development of collective identity necessary for a visionary future.
Daniel Nnam, a 400-level student in the Department of Mass Communication at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), emerged as the winner of the first NECCI Essay Competition, winning a cash prize of N250,000.
Nnam was announced as the winner of the essay competition during the 25th edition of the NECCI PR Roundtable held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on October 23, 2025.
He won the competition, defeating 24 other contestants from five higher institutions in Nigeria.
