The Nigeria Customs Service has received international recognition for its strategic communication and stakeholder engagement efforts. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, received a special Award of Excellence at the 2026 International Public Relations Association Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece, on Friday, 25 September 2026. This award acknowledges the service's approach to transparent communication, stakeholder engagement, and ethical public relations.
The National Public Relations Officer of the service, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this in a statement. Maiwada stressed that the award recognised the service's initiatives aimed at modernising Customs operations, improving trade facilitation, and strengthening institutional transparency. The award is a testament to the service's reform efforts, which align with President Bola Tinubu's economic policies.
Speaking after receiving the award, Adeniyi described the honour as international acknowledgement of the NCS's reform efforts. He noted that it would further encourage the service to deepen its adoption of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in public communication and stakeholder engagement. The service has started using artificial intelligence tools in its public communication.
Adeniyi added that effective communication remained critical to the success of government reforms. Citizens and stakeholders need to understand the objectives, implementation challenges, and expected benefits of reforms. The NCS reform agenda aims to improve Nigeria's trade competitiveness, facilitate exports, and strengthen the country's participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The President of the International Public Relations Association, Esther Cobbah, stated that the return to Athens was particularly significant. The city was where the association developed its Code of Conduct for public relations practice 60 years ago. The 2026 gathering provided an opportunity to celebrate individuals, agencies, and organisations that had applied the principles of ethical communication.
The Grand Prix was awarded to Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, for its campaign, AI for Crisis Communication: From Study to Strategy. The campaign grew out of a research project led by IMPR's Chief Executive Officer, Yushau Shuaib, in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development and the Centre for Crisis Communication.
The Nigeria Customs Service's international recognition is an indication of the country's growing participation in international strategic communication. The service's achievement is a result of its commitment to transparent communication, stakeholder engagement, and ethical public relations. The award will encourage the service to continue improving its communication and stakeholder engagement efforts.
Key points
- Nigeria Customs Service receives international award for strategic communication and stakeholder engagement efforts
- The award recognises the service's approach to transparent communication, stakeholder engagement, and ethical public relations
- The service plans to deepen its adoption of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in public communication and stakeholder engagement.
