Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), the award-winning publisher of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, has honoured Shuaibu Imam Agaka as its 2025 Staff of the Year for developing an innovative software solution that automates complex media-monitoring and press-review operations.
Agaka, a staff writer with Tech Digest, received a ₦250,000 cash prize at the IMPR Annual Staff Retreat in Kano.
The award recognises his development of PRrev, a cross-platform application that curates, structures and analyses media content across print, online, television and social media in real time.
Unveiling the software to staff and industry observers, Agaka said the idea was inspired by the ICT facilities provided by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) at the PRNigeria Centre. He explained that before PRrev, media intelligence teams relied on labour-intensive manual searches that were slow, error-prone and exhausting.
“Every day, teams had to manually scan hundreds of links across platforms. It was inefficient and led to burnout,” Agaka said. “PRrev automates that process and allows professionals to focus on analysis and strategic insight rather than data gathering.”
The software deploys a rule-based parsing system that automates URL collection, headline and byline extraction, date tagging and summarisation, before organising results into structured, decision-ready reports. The tool has significantly improved turnaround time and accuracy in media intelligence delivery.
Presenting the award, IMPR Board Chairman, Dr. Sule Ya’u Sule, described press review as a critical pillar of modern public relations and marketing, adding that PRrev represents a major indigenous contribution to the sector. “This innovation will greatly enhance how media coverage is compiled and analysed. We are proud of this home-grown solution,” he said.
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IMPR Chief Executive Officer, Yushau Shuaib, said the organisation has deliberately repositioned its workforce through artificial intelligence and advanced ICT training, noting that Agaka personally trained 57 trainees this year on latest digital skills.
Shuaib also highlighted the company’s resilience amid economic headwinds, revealing that the company has diversified into event management, book publishing and high-level capacity building—steps that have helped retain staff across its Abuja, Kano and Ilorin centres.
He listed key 2025 achievements, including the continued success of the Economic Confidential Lecture, PRNigeria Young Communication Fellowship, Security and Emergency Management Awards (SAEMA), National Spokespersons Awards (NSAwards) and Arewa Stars Awards, alongside new initiatives such as the Kannywood Roundtable on Reputation Management and the formal endorsement of IMPR’s PR events by the International Public Relations Association (IPRA).
The week-long retreat featured intensive training sessions led by senior media executives, including the Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust, Mallam Hamza Idris, and BusinessDay’s General Manager, Mr. Bashir Hassan, who guided staff on modern editorial standards and market-driven media strategies. The programme also marked the inauguration of a newly built PRNigeria chalet, while participants engaged in team-bonding activities, quizzes and recreational events.
As the retreat concluded, staff across IMPR’s titles—Politics Digest, Spokespersons Digest, Emergency Digest and Arewa Agenda—pledged renewed commitment to innovation and editorial excellence as the organisation positions itself for the 2026 business year.
