Uche Cecil Izuora
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, says the success of the Service’s ongoing institutional reforms determines how effectively they are communicated to the public, urging Public Relations Officers across the Service to adopt a more strategic, intelligence-driven approach to their work.
Adeniyi made the case at the closing ceremony of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the end of a four-day gathering focused on repositioning corporate communication as a management tool for institutional effectiveness.
Adeniyi argued that communication globally has evolved from a support function into a core strategic role, and that reforms cannot take hold unless the public understands, accepts and trusts them. “Around the world, communication has evolved from a support service into a strategic management function. Reforms cannot succeed unless they are understood, accepted, and trusted by the people they are designed to serve,” he said. He pointed to the rapid growth of digital media, artificial intelligence and real-time information as forces reshaping how institutions need to communicate, arguing that Customs PROs must become more proactive and research-driven in explaining government policy and Service operations. “Every seizure, every reform, every trade facilitation initiative, and every act of service must be communicated professionally and purposefully,” he added.
Acting Zonal Coordinator of Zone ‘C’, Comptroller Pascal Chibuoke, reinforced that framing in earlier remarks, describing corporate communication as a strategic asset rather than a background function. “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.
National Public Relations Officer Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada said the 2026 conference built on previous editions held in Lagos, Gwagwalada and Kano, and stressed that institutional reform depends on having a functioning communication framework behind it. “Institutional reforms cannot succeed without an effective communication framework. This conference was designed not merely to exchange ideas but to develop practical solutions, strengthen professional networks, and reposition Public Relations as a strategic corporate communication function within the Nigeria Customs Service,” he said.
Customs Area Controller of Port Harcourt Area I Command, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, delivered closing remarks, commending Adeniyi for prioritising professional development and capacity building, and encouraging participants to apply the conference’s lessons within their respective commands. In separate goodwill messages, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations President Dr. Ike Neliaku and Nigeria Union of Journalists President Alhassan Yahaya praised Adeniyi’s leadership in institutionalising strategic communication at the NCS, while urging PROs to uphold professionalism and ethical standards.
The conference, themed “Realigning Corporate Communication as a Strategic Driver of Institutional Effectiveness and Public Trust,” included technical sessions on Customs modernisation, crisis communication, media intelligence, digital innovation, stakeholder engagement and emerging communication technologies.