Nigeria Customs Service Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi has been awarded the Special Award of Excellence at the 2026 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece. The award recognizes the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, and commitment to ethical public relations in communicating its ongoing reforms. This recognition highlights the NCS's efforts to modernize its operations, improve trade facilitation, and strengthen institutional transparency.
The award was presented on Friday, September 25, and Adeniyi described it as an international endorsement of the Service's reform and communication efforts. He stated that the recognition would encourage the NCS to expand its adoption of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in public communication and engagement with stakeholders. The NCS has started using AI tools in its public communication and views this recognition as an invitation to do more.
Adeniyi emphasized the importance of effective communication to the success of government reforms, noting that citizens and other stakeholders need to understand the objectives of reforms, the challenges involved in implementation, and the benefits expected from them. The NCS reform agenda is aligned with the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly efforts to improve Nigeria's trade competitiveness, facilitate exports, and strengthen the country's participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Another Nigerian achievement at the awards was the IPRA Grand Prix won by Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, for its campaign, "AI for Crisis Communication: From Study to Strategy." The award-winning campaign emerged from a research project led by IMPR Chief Executive Officer Yushau Shuaib in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Centre for Crisis Communication.
The research examined emerging challenges associated with artificial intelligence, including misinformation, deepfakes, and digital information disorder, before translating its findings into a strategic communication campaign. IPRA President Esther Cobbah noted that the 2026 gathering in Athens carried particular significance for the global public relations community, as the city was where the association developed its Code of Conduct for public relations practice six decades ago.
The 2026 IPRA Golden World Awards brought together public relations professionals, organizations, and agencies from around the world to celebrate excellence, innovation, and ethical communication practice. Adeniyi's recognition places the Nigeria Customs Service among organizations receiving international attention for their approach to communicating institutional reforms, while IMPR's Grand Prix further highlights Nigeria's growing presence in global public relations and strategic communication.
The Nigeria Customs Service aims to feature prominently among global award recipients by 2027, and Adeniyi hopes that more Nigerian agencies will join in. The award is seen as a motivation for the NCS to continue its efforts in modernizing its operations and improving its communication with stakeholders.
Key points
- Nigeria Customs Service Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi receives IPRA Special Award of Excellence.
- The award recognizes the NCS's strategic communication, stakeholder engagement, and commitment to ethical public relations.
- The NCS plans to expand its adoption of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in public communication and engagement with stakeholders.
