24/08/2026
MONDAY SPOTLIGHT
Thelma Okoh is a seasoned marketing communications and public relations professional whose career spans strategic communications, brand management, corporate reputation and digital communication. She currently serves as Registrar/Secretary to Council of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), contributing to professional standards and the development of Nigeria's marketing industry.
She is also Principal Consultant at Winstarbel Communications and has held leadership positions within the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, including General Secretary of its Lagos State Chapter and membership of the Institute's Governing Council. Her career reflects a sustained commitment to professional development and strengthening Nigeria's marketing and communications ecosystem.
Her connection with the Nigeria Digital PR Summit goes back to its early days. As General Secretary of the Lagos NIPR when the Summit began, Thelma contributed to its planning and development and provided financial support that helped the platform take root. Her commitment to the Summit has continued through the years.
She has remained particularly interested in the intersection of technology, consumer behaviour and human connection. Speaking on AI and digital platforms in public relations, she noted: “AI is not only about automation but also about augmentation. It's collaboration.” She has also identified AI transformation, changing consumer mindsets, purchase behaviour and cultural currents as forces reshaping how brands understand and engage their audiences.
That thinking carried through to the launch of NIMN's landmark study with Lagos Business School, “Community, Culture and Connection: Re-imagining the New Market.” Describing Nigeria's evolving marketplace, she said the New Market “is no longer just a physical space or a digital platform; it is a communal ecosystem where trust is the primary currency.”
Beyond her institutional roles, Thelma has championed women in marketing, closing NIMN's inaugural LeadHers in Marketing Conference with a call to empower women marketers and inspire the next generation of industry leaders.
As Co-founder of Cihan Digital Academy, she has also championed practical AI capacity building among practitioners and young people, describing AI as “a game-changer, transforming industries and revolutionising how we work and live.” Her commitment to the next generation extends to mentorship, skills development and initiatives focused on emerging trends in marketing.
These perspectives capture an important thread running through Thelma's career: technology may be transforming the tools of communication, but trust, culture, community and human connection remain at the heart of influence.
Thelma represents an important bridge between public relations and marketing, bringing professional experience, institutional leadership and a strong interest in the future of communication to both fields.
Monday Spotlight celebrates professionals shaping the future of communication and reputation management in Nigeria and across Africa.
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