By George Ozalla
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, has charged Public Relations Officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to move beyond conventional media engagement and embrace strategic communication that will deepen institutional credibility, strengthen public trust and support the successful implementation of reforms.
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.
Speaking at the end of the four-day conference, the Customs boss described the gathering as a timely platform for reflection, learning and institutional renewal at a critical stage in the Service’s transformation agenda.
He stressed that effective communication has become indispensable to the success of reforms, noting that around the world, communication has evolved from a support service into a strategic management function.
According to him, “Reforms cannot succeed unless they are understood, accepted and trusted by the people they are designed to serve.”
Adeniyi observed that the rapid growth of digital media, artificial intelligence and real-time information dissemination demands a more proactive, research-driven and intelligence-led approach from Customs Public Relations Officers.
He urged them to professionally communicate government policies and the activities of the Service, saying every seizure, reform initiative, trade facilitation measure and act of service should be presented purposefully to the public.
Earlier, the Acting Zonal Coordinator, 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,” Chibuoke said.
Also speaking, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, described this year’s conference as another milestone in the evolution of Customs corporate communication.
He said the conference built on the successes recorded in Lagos, Gwagwalada and Kano in previous editions, adding that it was designed to develop practical solutions, strengthen professional networks and reposition Public Relations as a strategic corporate communication function within the Nigeria Customs Service.
Delivering the 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 gained during the conference to improve service delivery across their respective commands.
In their goodwill messages, the President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, and the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya, applauded the leadership of the Comptroller-General for institutionalising strategic communication within the Service and encouraged Public Relations Officers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism.
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 aimed at strengthening the Service’s communication architecture.
