By George Ozalla
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the media as part of efforts to deepen public trust, improve communication on its ongoing reforms and ensure Nigerians receive accurate information on the Service’s core responsibilities in trade facilitation, border security, anti-smuggling operations and economic development.
The assurance was given on Tuesday during a strategic media parley held ahead of the opening of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Declaring the media engagement open on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Zonal Coordinator of Zone ‘C’, Acting Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Pascal Chibuoke, welcomed participants from the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.
He urged journalists and public relations practitioners to make the most of the conference by fostering effective communication that would further strengthen public understanding of the Service’s statutory responsibilities.
According to him, sustained collaboration between the Customs Service and the media remains essential in projecting the positive image of the organisation and enhancing public confidence in its activities.
“The reforms and innovations of the Nigeria Customs Service require effective communication and stronger public understanding. Let us continue to project the positive image of the Nigeria Customs Service through effective communication and stronger public understanding of our statutory responsibilities,” he said.
In his remarks, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, described journalists as indispensable partners in nation-building, stressing that no meaningful institutional reform could succeed without public understanding and trust.
Maiwada said the ongoing reforms and innovations being implemented by the Service would only achieve their objectives through sustained public enlightenment and accurate media reportage.
“The reforms and innovations we are driving in the Nigeria Customs Service cannot succeed in isolation without public understanding and trust,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Customs Area Controller of Port Harcourt Area I Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, described the conference theme, “Realigning Corporate Communication as a Strategic Driver of Institutional Effectiveness and Public Trust,” as timely and highly relevant to the present realities of public service communication.
She commended the Comptroller-General of Customs for sustaining a communication culture that has strengthened public engagement while also praising the National Public Relations Officer for consolidating on that foundation through strategic information management.
Earlier, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Chief Superintendent of Customs Emmanuel Tangwa, said the choice of Port Harcourt as host city underscored the Service’s recognition of the South-South region’s strategic contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
He noted that the conference would provide a valuable platform for Customs officers and media practitioners to showcase the Service’s achievements, explain its policies and address public misconceptions.
“This engagement is more than a meeting. It provides an opportunity to share our achievements, explain our policies and correct misconceptions,” Tangwa said.
On his part, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, Paul Bazia, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for sustaining an open and cordial relationship with the media.
He described transparency as the foundation of public confidence and assured that journalists in the state would continue to support the Service through factual, prompt and responsible dissemination of information.
“Our responsibility is to communicate the truth and sustain public trust. As journalists in Rivers State, we will continue to work with the Nigeria Customs Service to ensure information is disseminated accurately, promptly and responsibly,” Bazia stated.
The 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference brings together public relations officers, senior Customs officers and media professionals to deliberate on strategies for enhancing corporate communication, promoting institutional effectiveness and strengthening public trust in the Service.
