The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has taken a major step to strengthen strategic communication and combat misinformation by inducting 70 Public Relations officers into the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, marking the Service’s first mass induction into the professional body since 2013.
The induction ceremony, held at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, underscores the Service’s efforts to professionalise its communication workforce as part of its ongoing institutional reforms.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the induction as a strategic investment aimed at building a team of certified communication professionals capable of effectively projecting the Service’s reforms, operations and achievements.
He said the Customs Service’s transformation, including its recognition as one of the country’s best-performing government agencies in ease of doing business, was driven by deliberate reforms that require credible and professional communication.
According to Adeniyi, the Service’s transition to a technology-driven Customs administration makes it imperative for Public Relations officers to proactively counter misinformation, manage public perception and sustain stakeholder confidence.
“Rumours will be heard, narratives will be pushed, so be ready to use your communication with clarity and the necessary measures so rumours can be addressed swiftly and decisively,” he charged the newly inducted officers.
The Comptroller-General also disclosed that the Service’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Customs Cares, is set to receive recognition at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, describing it as a legacy project whose impact should continue to be amplified through ethical and strategic communication.
President and Chairman of the Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for investing in professional communication and developing certified practitioners.
He noted that under Adeniyi’s leadership, the Service has evolved into a respected institution recognised for its reforms, corporate excellence and growing reputation within the global Customs community.
Also speaking, former National Public Relations Officer of the Service, retired Comptroller Joseph Attah, urged the officers to uphold the ethics of the profession by ensuring accuracy, truthfulness and responsibility in their communication.
He also encouraged them to embrace continuous professional development through seminars, workshops and active participation in NIPR programmes, noting that effective crisis communication requires empathy, composure and strategic thinking.
Earlier, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Aliyu Maiwada, attributed the milestone to the commitment of the Comptroller-General and the contributions of former Customs spokespersons who laid the foundation for the growth of the unit.