The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has underscored the importance of strategic communication in driving institutional reforms, trade facilitation, revenue generation and stakeholder engagement, with emphasis on its B’Odogwu digital modernisation platform.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, stated this on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, while representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the 13th Annual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) at the National Open University of Nigeria, Abuja.
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Maiwada said effective communication was essential to the successful implementation of the Service’s mandate, noting that technological and institutional reforms could not achieve their objectives without effective engagement with stakeholders.
He said the NCS had continued to deploy technology and innovative approaches to improve its operations, citing B’Odogwu as a major component of its digital transformation agenda and an innovative trade model attracting attention beyond Nigeria.
“Our critical role in trade facilitation, revenue generation and anti-smuggling cannot be effective without effective communication,” he said.
The Customs spokesman also highlighted the Service’s “Town and Gown” initiative, aimed at strengthening collaboration between academic institutions and professional practice in communication.
He said the initiative had commenced at Bayero University, Kano, and in Port Harcourt, with plans to expand the integration of academia into Customs engagements in 2027.
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According to him, collaboration with communication scholars and professionals would enable the Service to benefit from contemporary research, professional expertise and emerging communication technologies, while allowing academic institutions to gain practical knowledge of Customs operations.
The conference brought together communication scholars, professionals and institutional stakeholders to examine the changing communication landscape and the impact of emerging technologies on democracy and electoral processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In his opening remarks, ACSPN President, Professor Rotimi Olatunji, stressed the importance of informed citizens, credible media and transparent institutions in sustaining constitutional democracy.
A keynote presentation delivered on behalf of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Sani Adam, also highlighted emerging threats posed by deepfakes, AI-generated content and candidate impersonation.
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The NCS participation followed an earlier meeting with the ACSPN leadership on August 31, 2026, at the Service’s National Headquarters in Abuja, where both sides explored collaboration in digital communication, media engagement, professional development and stronger links between academia and Customs.
The conference ended with technical sessions on electoral communication and digital-age challenges, followed by a dinner and award ceremony recognising outstanding contributions to communication scholarship and professional practice.
