By Nkechi Eze
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has thrown its weight behind the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF) scheduled to hold in Abuja, with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, pledging the Service’s support for the global gathering.
Adeniyi made the commitment on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, when a delegation led by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Professor Justin Green, and the President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, visited him at the Customs House, Maitama, Abuja.
The CGC said the forum presented an important opportunity to advance conversations around responsible communication, institutional trust and effective public service, stressing that strategic communication had also contributed significantly to the implementation of reforms within the Customs Service.
“The Nigeria Customs Service recognised the importance of the World Public Relations Forum and its potential to bring global attention to responsible communication, institutional trust and effective public service,” Adeniyi said.
He added, “I want to assure you of the Service’s support for the forthcoming event and its commitment to contributing to its success.”
Speaking on the reforms of the Service, Adeniyi highlighted initiatives including B’Odogwu, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and Advance Ruling, noting that the measures were aimed at improving Customs processes and creating greater predictability for legitimate traders.
According to him, effective communication remained essential to ensuring that stakeholders understood the objectives and benefits of the reforms while strengthening the relationship between the Service and the business community.
The CGC said the Customs Service would continue to leverage strategic communication to deepen stakeholder engagement and build greater confidence in its reform initiatives.
Green said Nigeria’s hosting of WPRF 2026 would be a significant achievement for the country and the public relations profession in Africa, noting that the event would bring together communication professionals and stakeholders from across the world.
“We are expecting all the 126 member countries of the Global Alliance to grace this forum,” he said.
Green added that the forum would provide a global platform for Nigeria to showcase its cultural heritage, communication industry and innovative approaches to public relations, while promoting knowledge-sharing and professional collaboration.
Earlier, Neliaku said the NIPR was engaging major institutions and stakeholders because their support was crucial to the success of the international event.
He said the Institute was determined to deliver the “best, biggest, and brightest” World Public Relations Forum in Abuja, adding that the event would further demonstrate Nigeria’s capacity to host a major global professional gathering.
Neliaku disclosed that the WPRF would hold in Abuja from November 15 to 21, 2026, under the theme, “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World.”
