Customs Inducts 70 Public Relations Officers to Strengthen Strategic Communication

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has taken a major step towards strengthening its strategic communication capacity with the induction of 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 commitment to professionalising its communication workforce and equipping officers with the skills needed to effectively project its reforms, operations and achievements.

Speaking at the event, the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the induction as a strategic investment in the future of the Service's communication architecture. 

He said the Customs Service's transformation, including its recognition as the best-performing government agency in Ease of Doing Business, was driven by deliberate reforms that require competent communication professionals to showcase its achievements with clarity, credibility and purpose.

Adeniyi noted that as the Service embraces technology-driven customs administration, Public Relations officers must be prepared to tackle misinformation, shape public perception and sustain stakeholders' confidence.

Additionally,  he urged the newly inducted officers to remain proactive in countering false narratives, stressing that rumours should be addressed swiftly through accurate and strategic communication.

The Customs boss also disclosed that the Service's flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Customs Cares, is set to receive recognition at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. 

He described the programme as a legacy project whose impact should continue to be amplified through ethical and professional communication.

President and Chairman of the NIPR Council, Ike Neliaku, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for investing in the development of certified communication professionals. He said the Service, under Adeniyi's leadership, has become a model institution admired for its reforms, corporate excellence and increasing influence within the global customs community.

According to him, the achievements of the Service have become a source of national pride, adding that Nigerians can no longer ignore the significant role Customs is playing in national development.

Retired Comptroller of Customs and former National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, urged the newly inducted officers to uphold the ethics of the profession by ensuring truthfulness, accuracy and responsibility in their communication. 

He also encouraged them to pursue continuous professional development through seminars, workshops and active participation in NIPR activities, noting that effective crisis communication requires composure, empathy and strategic thinking.

Earlier, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Aliyu Maiwada, attributed the milestone to the unwavering support of the Comptroller-General as well as the contributions of former Customs spokespersons who laid the foundation for the growth of the Public Relations Unit.

The induction of the 70 officers is expected to further strengthen the Nigeria Customs Service's ongoing reform agenda and reinforce its commitment to institutional excellence through professional and strategic communication.