The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) have moved to strengthen collaboration in media, digital communication and professional development ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The partnership was discussed on Monday, August 31, 2026, when executive members of ACSPN visited the NCS National Headquarters in Abuja, where they explored opportunities for greater institutional cooperation.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the National Public Relations Officer and spokesperson of the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, underscored the strategic importance of effective communication in driving and sustaining institutional reforms.
Maiwada said the Service had continued to leverage its monthly newsletter, social media platforms and data analytics to communicate its activities and reforms, stressing that communication must be integrated into every reform process.
“In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result,” he said.
He also highlighted the NCS’ growing engagement with Nigeria’s creative industry, citing the Service’s one-off movie, Beyond the Badge, and its 79-episode movie series, Novera, as initiatives that are generating revenue for the Service while creating employment opportunities within the entertainment sector.
The Customs spokesman further disclosed plans to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) to Lagos, while announcing the Service’s intention to pursue corporate membership of ACSPN and encourage its public relations officers to become members of the professional association.
Earlier, the President of ACSPN, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, commended Maiwada for his longstanding support for the association and welcomed the proposed institutional partnership with the NCS.
Olatunji pledged ACSPN’s support for Customs personnel seeking to acquire higher academic and professional qualifications, stressing the importance of communication expertise in leadership and public service.
“When communication scholars are given the opportunity to lead organisations, they excel because they remain conscious of public needs, sensibilities, and sensitivities,” he said.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for ACSPN to formally announced its 2026 National Conference, themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruptions and Dynamics of Communication.”
The conference is expected to examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence, social media and digital platforms on political communication, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a joint press briefing at the NCS headquarters auditorium, Olatunji called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and media practitioners to promote fact-based public discourse and counter the spread of misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated manipulated content, including deepfakes.
He urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking mechanisms to enable citizens to distinguish credible information from manipulated content and make informed decisions in the digital age.
The ACSPN delegation subsequently toured key facilities at the NCS headquarters, including the Information and Communication Technology/Modernisation Department and the NCBN studios.
The tour provided members of the association with firsthand insight into the Service’s digital operations, technological modernisation efforts and evolving media communication strategy.
