Port Harcourt, Rivers State – The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has challenged Public Relations Officers across the Service to embrace strategic, innovative and impactful communication as a critical tool for strengthening public confidence, promoting institutional reforms and enhancing the credibility of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference held in Port Harcourt on Friday, July 24, 2026, Adeniyi stressed that the role of Customs spokespersons has evolved beyond issuing press statements to becoming strategic communicators who shape public perception and reinforce trust in government institutions.
The four-day conference, themed "Realigning Corporate Communication as a Strategic Driver of Institutional Effectiveness and Public Trust," brought together Customs Public Relations Officers and communication professionals from across the country to examine the future of corporate communication within the Service.
According to the Comptroller-General, effective communication is indispensable to the success of ongoing reforms in the Nigeria Customs Service.
"Across the world, communication has moved from being a support function to becoming a strategic management tool. No reform can succeed unless the people understand it, accept it and trust the institution implementing it," Adeniyi said.
He urged Public Relations Officers to adapt to the rapidly changing communication landscape driven by digital media, artificial intelligence and instant information dissemination. He noted that Customs spokespersons must become proactive, research-driven and intelligence-led in communicating the Service's policies, operations and achievements.
He further emphasized that every Customs activity—from anti-smuggling operations and seizures to trade facilitation initiatives and modernization programmes—must be communicated professionally, accurately and with purpose to strengthen public confidence in the Service.
Earlier, the Acting Zonal Coordinator of Zone 'C', Comptroller Pascal Chibuoke, described corporate communication as a strategic asset that plays a vital role in shaping public perception, promoting transparency, building stakeholder confidence and reinforcing institutional legitimacy.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, described the 2026 conference as another landmark in the Service's communication reforms. He noted that the event built on the successes of previous conferences held in Lagos, Gwagwalada and Kano, while providing practical solutions aimed at repositioning Public Relations as a strategic pillar of Customs administration.
Delivering the closing remarks, the Customs Area Controller of Port Harcourt Area I Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, commended the Comptroller-General for prioritizing professional development and institutional capacity building. She encouraged participants to deploy the knowledge and skills acquired during the conference to improve communication and service delivery across their various commands.
Also speaking at the event, the President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, and the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya, praised the leadership of the Comptroller-General for institutionalizing strategic communication within the Nigeria Customs Service. They urged Public Relations Officers to uphold professionalism, ethical standards and excellence in discharging their responsibilities.
The conference featured technical sessions on Customs modernization, crisis communication, media intelligence, stakeholder engagement, digital innovation and emerging communication technologies, all aimed at strengthening the Service's communication architecture and enhancing public trust.
The conference concluded with renewed commitments by participants to leverage strategic communication in promoting transparency, supporting institutional reforms and improving public confidence in the Nigeria Customs Service.
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