The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has tasked Public Relations Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to move beyond conventional media engagement and adopt strategic communication approaches that will strengthen institutional credibility, deepen public trust and drive ongoing reforms within the Service.
Adeniyi gave the charge on Friday at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The four-day conference focused on repositioning corporate communication as a strategic management tool for institutional effectiveness.
Addressing participants, the Customs boss described the conference as a timely platform for reflection, learning and institutional renewal as the Service continues its transformation agenda.
He observed that communication has evolved globally from a support function into a strategic management tool, stressing that reforms can only succeed when they are understood, accepted and trusted by the people they are intended to serve.
According to him, the rapid growth of digital media, artificial intelligence and real-time information has made it imperative for Customs Public Relations Officers to become more proactive, research-driven and intelligence-led in communicating government policies and the Service’s activities.
“Every seizure, every reform, every trade facilitation initiative and every act of service must be communicated professionally and purposefully,” Adeniyi said.
Earlier, the Acting Zonal Coordinator of Zone ‘C’, Comptroller Pascal Chibuoke, described corporate communication as a strategic asset that shapes public perception, strengthens stakeholder confidence, promotes transparency and reinforces institutional legitimacy.
“Corporate communication is no longer a support function. It is a strategic asset that shapes public perception, strengthens stakeholder confidence, promotes transparency and reinforces institutional legitimacy,” he stated.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said this year’s conference marked another milestone in the evolution of Customs corporate communication, building on the successes of previous editions held in Lagos, Gwagwalada and Kano.
He noted that institutional reforms require an effective communication framework, explaining that the conference was designed not only to facilitate the exchange of ideas but also to develop practical solutions, strengthen professional networks and reposition public relations as a strategic corporate communication function within the Nigeria Customs Service.
In her closing remarks, the Customs Area Controller of Port Harcourt Area I Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, commended the Comptroller-General for sustaining investments in professional development and institutional capacity building. She urged participants to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the conference to improve service delivery across their various commands.
Also speaking, the President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, and the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya, lauded Adeniyi’s leadership in institutionalising strategic communication within the Nigeria Customs Service. They challenged Public Relations Officers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The conference, themed “Realigning Corporate Communication as a Strategic Driver of Institutional Effectiveness and Public Trust,” featured technical sessions on Customs modernisation, crisis communication, media intelligence, digital innovation, stakeholder engagement and emerging communication technologies, all aimed at strengthening the Service’s communication architecture.
