The Acting Director of Corporate Communications at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Hakama Sidi-Ali, has emerged as the 2026 National Spokesperson of the Year.
She received the recognition at the 6th National Spokespersons Awards and 4th Economic Confidential Annual Lecture, organised by Image Merchants Promotion Limited, IMPR, publishers of PRNigeria, Economic Confidential and Spokespersons Digest, in Abuja at the weekend.
The organisers said the award marked an unprecedented third consecutive achievement for Sidi-Ali at the National Spokespersons Awards.
According to IMPR, she became the first communications professional to progress from winning a sector-specific award twice consecutively to receiving the overall Spokesperson of the Year honour.
Sidi-Ali had earlier made history in 2023, when CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso appointed her as the first female spokesperson in the bank’s 66-year history.
In 2024, she won the Outstanding Spokesperson – Banking Sector award, becoming the first female banking communicator to receive the honour. She retained the title in 2025.
Her 2026 recognition was based on her broader contribution to national economic communication, including efforts to strengthen public confidence in the CBN and project Nigeria’s monetary policy internationally.
The organisers said the judging process considered four major areas: impact, innovation and originality, campaign reach, and quality of evidence.
The jury specifically highlighted her role in developing a proactive communication structure at the apex bank through regular Monetary Policy Committee briefings, stakeholder engagements, investor relations, media management and international advocacy.
The CBN’s communication campaign also received international recognition after emerging as a finalist at the 2026 International Public Relations Association, IPRA, Golden World Awards.
Earlier in 2026, Sidi-Ali was also recognised as the African Iconic Female Spokesperson of the Year at the African International Women Recognition Awards, AIWRA, following a continent-wide public voting process.
Chairperson of the awards jury, Professor Saudat Abdulbaqi, disclosed that the 2026 awards attracted 171 nominations nationwide.
She said only entries that met the required standards for clarity, measurable impact and verifiable evidence advanced through the evaluation process, resulting in 30 finalists across 15 categories.
Speaking at the event, IMPR Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Yushau A. Shuaib, said the National Spokespersons Awards and Economic Confidential Annual Lecture were established to promote informed national discussions, recognise professional excellence and strengthen strategic communication in Nigeria.
