The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has expressed readiness to strengthen its partnership with the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) in media, digital communication and professional development.
The commitment was made on Monday, August 31, 2026, when executive members of ACSPN visited the NCS National Headquarters in Abuja to explore areas of deeper collaboration.
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Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the National Public Relations Officer and spokesperson for the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, underscored the strategic role of communication in promoting institutional reforms.
Maiwada highlighted the Service’s monthly newsletter, social media platforms and data analytics as key tools in its communication strategy, noting that effective communication must be integrated into every reform process.
“In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result,” he said.
He also highlighted the NCS’s growing engagement with the creative industry through its one-off movie, Beyond the Badge, and the 79-episode series, Novera, which he said were generating revenue for the Service while creating employment opportunities in the entertainment sector.
Maiwada further disclosed plans to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) to Lagos. He also announced the Service’s intention to pursue corporate membership of ACSPN and encourage its public relations officers to join the association.
Earlier, ACSPN President, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, commended Maiwada for his longstanding support of the association and welcomed the proposed institutional partnership.
Olatunji pledged ACSPN’s support for NCS personnel seeking higher academic and professional qualifications.
“When communication scholars are given the opportunity to lead organisations, they excel because they remain conscious of public needs, sensibilities, and sensitivities,” he said.
At a joint press briefing held at the NCS headquarters auditorium, ACSPN formally announced its 2026 National Conference, themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruptions and Dynamics of Communication.”
The conference will focus on the impact of artificial intelligence, social media and other digital platforms on political communication ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists, Olatunji called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and media practitioners to promote fact-based public discourse and counter misinformation, disinformation and AI-manipulated content, including deepfakes.
He also urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking mechanisms to help citizens navigate the increasingly complex digital electoral environment.
The visit ended with a guided tour of key facilities at the NCS headquarters, including the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)/Modernisation Department and NCBN studios, where the delegation was briefed on the Service’s digital operations and media strategy.
