Public Relations Communication Strategies and Mining Project Outcomes: Evidence from Nyakabingo Mine, Rulindo District, Rwanda

Abstract

Effective public relations (PR) communication is increasingly recognized as a pivotal driver of mining project outcomes, yet empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa remains scarce. This study investigated the influence of public relations communication strategies on project outcomes at Nyakabingo Mine in Rulindo District, Northern Rwanda, one of Rwanda's flagship 3T (Tin, Tantalum, and Tungsten) mining operations. Anchored in Stakeholder Theory (Freeman, 1984), the Shannon-Weaver Communication Model (1949), and Benoit's Image Restoration Theory (1995), the study employed a mixed-methods descriptive survey and case study design. A sample of 346 respondents was drawn from a population of 1,800 stakeholders using stratified random sampling for mine workers (n=327), and census sampling for corporate management (n=9) and external stakeholders (n=10). Data were collected through pretested structured questionnaires, semi-structured interview guides, and document analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 28 via descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. Results revealed a strong, positive, and statistically significant effect of PR communication strategies on project outcomes (β=2.280; R²=0.724; F=20.948; p=0.002). The regression model explained 72.4% of the variance in project outcomes, confirming PR as the strongest predictor among the communication variables examined. Key PR activities, including community engagement events, proactive crisis communication, and reputation management, were found to enhance stakeholder trust, collaboration, and social license to operate. The study recommends the institutionalization of strategic, proactive, and stakeholder-segmented PR frameworks in mining project management. These findings contribute original empirical evidence to the limited body of knowledge on communication-driven project success in Rwanda's extractive sector.