The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has unveiled a strategic communication roadmap aimed at strengthening public trust, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and supporting trade facilitation through more effective communication of its reforms and operational achievements.
The blueprint emerged on the opening day of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference in Port Harcourt, where officers and men of the Service gathered to explore ways of ensuring Customs’ reforms and success stories are communicated with greater purpose and impact.
Speaking at the conference, the National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, emphasised that communication must become an integral part of Customs operations rather than an afterthought.
According to him, effective communication builds public confidence, improves voluntary compliance, and contributes significantly to the successful implementation of reforms.
“We need to humanise reforms and showcase success stories to demonstrate their impact on the everyday citizen, while aligning operational achievement with strategic communication,” Maiwada said.
In the first technical session, the Managing Director of Reputation Masters Limited, Jossy Nkwocha, urged Customs public relations officers to embrace strategic planning, innovation, and corporate communication as key drivers of institutional growth, rather than relying solely on traditional public relations practices.
Also speaking, Lawrence Dike of the University of Port Harcourt stressed the importance of stakeholder engagement in driving organisational transformation, noting that trust, consistency, and people-centred communication are indispensable to sustainable reforms.
“Trust is the currency of business and relationships. Trust is your reputation and reputation is your legacy,” Dike stated.
Highlighting the importance of communication to trade facilitation, Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Titus Omajali underscored the critical role of effective stakeholder engagement in the successful implementation of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme.
“The success of the AEO programme largely depends on effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders across the international supply chain,” he said.
The conference also featured a panel discussion moderated by Parry Benson, with CSC Abdullahi Husseini, CSC Oscar Ivara, CSC Emmanuel Tangwa, Superintendent of Customs Magaji Dikko, and Superintendent of Customs Juliana Tomo sharing practical experiences on managing corporate and strategic communication in complex operational environments.
Providing further industry insights, the General Manager of the Trade Modernisation Project, Bamidele Chinedu, encouraged Customs public relations practitioners to become trusted sources of information by communicating clearly, listening to stakeholder feedback, and maintaining consistency in public engagement.
The first day of the conference ended with participants reaffirming their commitment to strengthening strategic communication across the Nigeria Customs Service, recognising effective communication as a critical driver of institutional reforms, stakeholder confidence, and improved trade facilitation.
