The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has urged the Service’s Public Relations Officers (PROs) to adopt strategic and impactful communication approaches to deepen public confidence and support the success of ongoing reforms.
Adeniyi made the call on Friday, July 24, 2026, at the closing ceremony of the 2026 NCS Public Relations Conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
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The four-day conference, which focused on repositioning corporate communication within the Service, provided participants with opportunities to examine emerging trends and develop strategies for improving institutional communication.
The Comptroller-General said effective communication had become essential to the success of modern institutions, particularly as reforms must be properly explained and understood by the people they are intended to benefit.
“Reforms cannot succeed unless they are understood, accepted and trusted by the people they are designed to serve,” Adeniyi said.
He challenged Customs PROs to adapt to the changing media environment driven by digital platforms, artificial intelligence and the rapid spread of information.
According to him, officers must become more proactive, research-oriented and intelligence-driven in communicating government policies, Customs operations and reform initiatives.
“Every seizure, every reform, every trade facilitation initiative and every act of service must be communicated professionally and purposefully,” he added.
Earlier, the Acting Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’, Comptroller Pascal Chibuoke, described corporate communication as an important tool for building public confidence, improving transparency and enhancing the legitimacy of institutions.
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“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.
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The National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, said the conference represented another step in the Service’s efforts to strengthen its corporate communication structure.
Maiwada noted that the event built on previous editions held in Lagos, Gwagwalada and Kano, adding that effective communication was critical to the implementation of institutional reforms.
He said the conference was designed to generate practical solutions, strengthen professional relationships and reposition public relations as a strategic function within the NCS.
In her closing remarks, the Customs Area Controller, Port Harcourt Area I Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, commended Adeniyi for prioritising professional development and capacity building within the Service.
She urged participants to translate the knowledge gained at the conference into improved communication and better service delivery in their respective commands.
The President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, Ike Neliaku, and the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Alhassan Yahaya, also commended the NCS leadership for promoting strategic communication and encouraged PROs to maintain high professional standards.
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The conference, themed, “Realigning Corporate Communication as a Strategic Driver of Institutional Effectiveness and Public Trust,” featured sessions on Customs modernisation, crisis communication, media intelligence, digital innovation, stakeholder engagement and emerging communication technologies.
