Joseph Bakare
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been conferred with the Excellence in Professional Compliance Award – Corporate Category by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), recognising its steadfast commitment to professional communication standards and institutional transparency.
The award was presented at the just concluded 2025 Nigeria Public Relations Week (NPRW) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. It reflects the Customs Service’s strategic drive toward effective public engagement, stakeholder inclusion, and image repositioning under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.
In a significant show of institutional honour, the Governing Council of the NIPR also recognised CGC Adeniyi with two distinguished awards: the Diamond Lifetime Award for his sustained contributions to the advancement of public relations ideals and the betterment of humanity and the Diamond Prize for Exceptional Performance in Public Office, in appreciation of his visionary leadership and transformative communication efforts in the NCS.
Receiving the awards on behalf of the Comptroller-General and the Service, the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, expressed gratitude to the NIPR for the honour, noting that it is a strong validation of the Service’s deliberate communication reforms and the CGC’s visionary leadership.
“These recognitions are a testament to the CGC’s commitment to institutional transparency and public engagement,” Maiwada said. “They also reflect the dedication of the Service in ensuring that professionalism, credibility, and effective communication remain central to our operations.”
Under CGC Adeniyi, the Nigeria Customs Service has adopted modern communication strategies that prioritise clarity, public trust, and timely dissemination of information across various platforms. This approach has enhanced stakeholder relations, improved operational transparency, and bolstered the Service’s national and international reputation.
In its citation, the NIPR described CGC Adeniyi as a reformer whose contributions to public relations have elevated communication standards in public service. The institute also lauded the Customs Service for being a model of corporate compliance and institutional professionalism.
In the same vein, ten Area Command Public Relations Officers of the NCS were inducted as Associate Members of the institute after undergoing a masterclass.