The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has once again distinguished itself on the global stage by winning the coveted Golden World Award (GWA) for Impactful Public Relations in Customs Management at the 2025 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Gala.
The event took place on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
The award was presented by outgoing IPRA President, Nataša Pavlović Bujas, during a gala ceremony attended by eminent figures in communication and government. Distinguished guests who graced the occasion included Ghana’s Vice President, H.E. Jane Nana; Dr. Ike Neliaku, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); Arik Karani, President of the African Public Relations Association (APRA); and Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana.
Established in 1990, the Golden World Awards are regarded as the highest international recognition for excellence in public relations practice. The awards celebrate innovative and effective communication campaigns that deliver measurable impact and advance professional standards worldwide.
The Nigeria Customs Service was honoured for its exemplary public relations campaign chronicled in a publication by Image Merchants Promotion Limited, which highlighted the Service’s progressive communication strategies under the leadership of Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. The publication, titled “PR Strategies for Transformational Leadership in Customs Management,” has become a seminal reference in public sector communication and PR scholarship in Nigeria.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Service, Assistant Comptroller of Customs and National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, expressed deep appreciation. “This award is a validation of the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to professionalism, transparency, and stakeholder engagement,” he said. “Under the leadership of the Comptroller-General, we have repositioned communication as a strategic tool for reform and trust-building.”
Philip Sheppard, Secretary-General of IPRA, commended the winning entry for its practical insights and real-life application of PR leadership. “This work showcases how strategic communication can foster institutional credibility and public trust, serving as a valuable model for organisations globally,” he noted.
This latest accolade built on the NCS’s growing reputation for communication excellence. In 2024, the Service was awarded the Golden World Award for Excellence in Crisis Communication at the IPRA Gala in Belgrade, Serbia, recognising its adept management of communication during critical border and trade challenges.
The award ceremony capped a three-day Public Relations Knowledge Sharing Conference themed “Global Realities and Innovative Communication,” held at the Accra International Conference Centre from October 1 to 3, 2025. The conference convened communication experts, practitioners, and policymakers from Africa and beyond.
In his closing remarks, Ghana’s President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, underscored the vital role of public relations professionals in national development. “As communicators, you hold the power to shape narratives and influence public trust,” President Mahama said. “Our continent needs professionals who communicate with integrity, clarity, and purpose to support national development.”
The evening also marked a historic transition in global PR leadership as Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of Ghana’s Institute of Public Relations, was inaugurated as the new President of IPRA. She became the first African to hold the position in the organisation’s 70-year history, signaling a new era for African representation in international communication governance.
The consistent international recognition of the Nigeria Customs Service reflected not only its operational transformation but also its emergence as a model institution for strategic communication and public sector reform in Africa.
