By Nkechi Eze
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its leadership in strategic communication and institutional branding on the continental stage, as it actively participated in the 36th Annual Conference of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), held from June 9 to 13, 2025, at the PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort, Mombasa, Kenya. This year’s edition marked a historic milestone APRA’s 50th anniversary bringing together over 500 communication experts, public officials, corporate leaders, academics, and development partners from across Africa and beyond.
With the theme “Transforming Africa through Safe and Responsible Digital Communication,” the conference served as a reflective platform for public relations professionals to examine the evolution of the field over five decades, while exploring strategies for building a resilient, reputation-driven communication ecosystem for the continent’s future.
Representing the Nigeria Customs Service, the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, delivered a compelling paper titled “Leveraging Data Analytics for Effective Public Relations Practice in the Nigeria Customs Service.” His presentation captured the transformation of public relations from a narrative-centered discipline into a data-centric profession, particularly within public sector institutions tasked with maintaining trust, enforcing regulation, and fostering national development.
“Public relations has moved from the era of assumptions to a profession guided by evidence. At Nigeria Customs, we are applying data analytics not just to shape narratives, but to measure impact, evaluate stakeholder perception, and make informed communication decisions,” Maiwada stated.
He underscored the pivotal role of data in Customs’ current public relations strategy, which under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, has embraced real-time feedback loops, digital monitoring tools, and sentiment analysis mechanisms to evaluate public perception and tailor communication in line with contemporary realities.
“The future of public sector communication lies in our ability to listen, adapt and engage purposefully. As gatekeepers of public trust, we cannot afford to be reactive. We must lead with clarity, backed by verifiable data,” AC Maiwada emphasized, adding that data now powers Customs’ storytelling, allowing the Service to proactively counter misinformation and shape public understanding of its reforms.
Maiwada’s session was widely praised for providing a practical blueprint for institutional communication transformation, drawing from Nigeria Customs’ internal experiences with policy communication, crisis response, stakeholder engagement, and digital visibility.
Beyond Nigeria Customs’ contribution to the professional discourse, the Mombasa conference also marked a diplomatic and symbolic win for Nigeria. In a momentous announcement, the African Public Relations Association granted Nigeria the hosting rights for APRA 2026, a development welcomed with pride by the country’s delegation.
Speaking on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, represented by the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Onilu, affirmed Nigeria’s readiness and commitment to hosting a world-class conference in 2026.
“Nigeria is deeply honoured by the confidence reposed in us to host APRA 2026. This is a historic opportunity not just to celebrate communication excellence, but to deepen our collective resolve to use communication as a force for good across the continent,” Onilu declared.
The conference also featured a host of distinguished speakers and thought leaders including the APRA President, Arik Karani; Immediate Past President, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya; Global Alliance President, Prof. Justin Green; World Communication Forum Association (WCFA) President, Maxim Behar; and President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku.
In her goodwill message, President-elect of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), Esther Cobbah, called on African communicators to unify the continent’s voice and champion the principles of transparency, fairness, and inclusive development through responsible storytelling.
Dr. Ike Neliaku also contributed a thought-provoking paper titled “Navigating Good Governance and Development in Africa Through Responsible Digital Communication.” In it, he argued that in the digital age, trust and reputation have become the most valuable currencies of governance. He further advocated for increased public investment in communication infrastructure and strategic capacity development across Africa.
The Nigeria Customs Service’s participation in APRA @50 not only highlighted its robust internal communication strategy but also signaled the Service’s commitment to aligning with global trends in public sector communication, especially in the age of digitization, reform, and accountability.
As Nigeria begins preparations to host the 2026 edition of APRA, the Customs Service has pledged to contribute meaningfully to its success and leverage the opportunity to showcase its communication innovations, reforms, and renewed commitment to people-centered service delivery.
With a focus on data-backed engagement, institutional transparency, and proactive storytelling, the Nigeria Customs Service continues to set the pace in redefining public relations within the African public sector space.
