Chain Reactions Africa gets Global SABRE Award

Israel Jaiye Opayemi - MD, Chief Strategist, Chain Reactions Africa

Chain Reactions Africa has marked a milestone for Nigeria’s independent public relations and communications industry, winning a Global SABRE Award for its, ‘From Promises To Proofs’, a campaign on the economic reform programme for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and showcasing the work at the PRovoke Global Summit in Chicago.

The achievement marks the first time a Nigerian independent PR consultancy has not only won a Global SABRE award but gone head to combine the win with a campaign showcase at the global summit, placing Nigerian-developed strategic communications before a global audience.

The award was presented on 26 October, followed on 27 October by a campaign presentation featuring Founder & Chief Strategist of Chain Reactions Africa, Israel Opayemi.

The campaign film was screened on the night of the Global SABRE Awards , building anticipation for the strategic thinking behind the work. The subsequent presentation explored the challenge of moving public conversation beyond government promises towards visible, tangible and verifiable evidence of delivery.

The summit brought together prominent communications and corporate affairs leaders, including President and CEO of Edelman, Richard Edelman; Founder of PRovoke Media, Paul Holmes; US CEO of Burson, Craig Buchholz; Global CEO of GCI Health, Kristin Cahill; Chief Communications Officer of Mubadala Investment Company, Brian Lott; and Chief Communications Officer of Microsoft, Frank X. Shaw.

Addressing the audience, Opayemi observed that “there is a rise of grievance, globally,” explaining that this reality informed the campaign’s strategic direction. He emphasised the need for governments to remain attentive to public sentiment and connect policy decisions with citizens’ lived experiences.

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Reflecting on the milestone, Opayemi said: “This recognition goes beyond winning an award. It demonstrates that an independent Nigerian consultancy can develop work that stands alongside the best in global communications.

“Showcasing From Promises To Proofs in Chicago gives us an opportunity to share the thinking behind the work and contribute an African perspective to conversations about public trust, accountability and the role of communications in connecting government action with citizens.”

He also credited the Presidential Media and Communications team, including the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake; Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, and the entire members of the team for working collaboratively to co-create the campaign with the Chain Reactions Africa team.

Selected among the 40 Global SABRE campaigns from more than 5,500 entries across over 60 countries, ‘From Promises To Proofs’ earned recognition amongst what PRovoke Media describes as the “elite of the elite” in global communications. Chain Reactions Africa was the only consultancy whose work made it to the global shortlist in the entire African continent.

The recognition adds to the consultancy’s industry achievements. At the 2026 Africa SABRE Awards, it won the Public Sector/Government category for From Promises To Proofs and was a finalist for the Platinum SABRE Award for Best in Show. It was also ranked third overall in Earned First’s Africa Consultancy Performance Index and won the Large Consultancy category.

From receiving the trophy to presenting its strategic thinking in Chicago, Chain Reactions Africa has taken a Nigerian-developed campaign beyond the awards stage, bringing an African perspective to global conversations about policy communications.