…as President Mahama Urges Communicators to Uphold Ethics and Professionalism
By Nkechi Eze
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has once again brought pride to the nation on the global stage, emerging as a recipient of the Golden World Award (GWA) for Impactful Public Relations in Customs Management at the 2025 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Gala held on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Mövenpick Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
The prestigious honour, presented by IPRA President Nataša Pavlović Bujas, recognized the Nigeria Customs Service for its exceptional communication practices, particularly in advancing institutional reforms and stakeholder engagement through strategic public relations. The award-winning entry, authored by Image Merchants Promotion Limited, chronicles the communication transformation led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and has been widely acclaimed as a model for strategic PR scholarship in Nigeria.
In his remarks, IPRA Secretary-General Philip Sheppard explained that the winning publication stood out for its practical insights and real-world applications of public relations in leadership and reform management. He noted that the document offers a blueprint for institutions seeking to use communication as a tool for transparency, organizational change, and public trust.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Service, the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller of Customs (AC) Abdullahi Maiwada, expressed deep appreciation to IPRA for the recognition, describing it as a validation of the Service’s ongoing commitment to communication excellence and integrity.
“This award is a validation of the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to professionalism, transparency, and stakeholder engagement,” Maiwada stated. “Under the visionary leadership of the Comptroller-General, we have repositioned communication as a strategic instrument for reform, collaboration, and trust-building between the Service and the Nigerian public.”
The recognition marks another milestone in the Service’s growing reputation for communication excellence. In 2024, the Nigeria Customs Service had clinched the Golden World Award for Crisis Communication at the IPRA Gala held in Belgrade, Serbia. The consecutive wins, according to observers, reaffirm NCS’s consistency in leveraging effective public relations to enhance institutional image and credibility.
This year’s Golden World Awards formed the highlight of a three-day Public Relations Knowledge Sharing Conference held from Wednesday, October 1 to Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre. The conference, themed “Global Realities and Innovative Communication,” brought together global leaders in public relations and communication practice, including Dr. Ike Neliaku, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); Nataša Pavlović Bujas, President of IPRA; Arik Karani, President of the African Public Relations Association (APRA); and Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana.
At the closing session of the conference, Ghana’s President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, urged public relations professionals to uphold integrity, competence, and responsibility in their practice, stressing the pivotal role of communicators in national development.
“As communicators, you hold the power to shape narratives and influence public trust,” President Mahama said. “Our continent needs professionals who communicate with integrity, clarity, and purpose to support national progress and build stronger institutions.”
Ghana’s Vice President, Her Excellency Jane Nana, also congratulated all the award recipients at the Gala Night, commending their contributions to global communication advancement and the strengthening of public institutions through innovative PR practices.
The evening reached a historic climax when Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana, was formally inaugurated as the new President of the International Public Relations Association, succeeding Nataša Pavlović Bujas. Her ascension to the leadership of the 70-year-old global body marks the first time an African will lead IPRA, symbolizing a major milestone for the continent’s communication professionals and the growing influence of African voices in global PR discourse.
The Nigeria Customs Service’s latest recognition reinforces the institution’s growing reputation as a model of transparency-driven public engagement under Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. Through consistent communication reforms, community outreach, and proactive engagement with stakeholders, the Service continues to set new benchmarks for public sector communication in Nigeria and beyond.
