Customs, ACSPN Deepen Partnership on Media, Digital Communication

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) have moved to strengthen their partnership in media, digital communication, research and professional development.

The partnership was discussed on Monday, August 31, 2026, when executive members of ACSPN visited the NCS National Headquarters in Abuja to explore areas of collaboration with the Service.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the National Public Relations Officer and spokesperson of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, stressed the importance of effective communication in driving and sustaining institutional reforms.

Maiwada said the Service had continued to deploy various communication platforms, including its monthly newsletter, social media channels and data analytics, to effectively communicate its reforms, policies and achievements to the public.

He said communication must be integrated into every reform process if the desired results were to be achieved.

“In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result,” Maiwada said.

He further highlighted the Service's growing engagement with the creative industry, citing its one-off movie, Beyond the Badge, and the 79-episode movie series, Novera, as initiatives designed to promote public engagement while creating economic opportunities.

According to him, the creative projects have also begun generating revenue for the NCS and creating employment opportunities within the entertainment industry.

Maiwada disclosed that the Service was planning to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) to Lagos as part of efforts to strengthen its communication and public information architecture.

He also announced plans by the NCS 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 continued support for the association and welcomed the proposed institutional partnership with the NCS.

Olatunji pledged the association's support for NCS personnel seeking higher academic and professional qualifications, stressing the importance of communication expertise in public institutions.

“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 ACSPN president also used the occasion to announce the association's 2026 National Conference, which will focus on the theme, “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 other digital platforms on political communication ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections.

Olatunji called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and media practitioners to promote fact-based public discourse and address the growing threats posed by misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content.

He particularly urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking mechanisms to help citizens distinguish credible information from manipulated content, including deepfakes, during the electoral process.

The engagement ended with a guided tour of key facilities at the NCS headquarters, including the Information and Communication Technology (ICT)/Modernisation Department and the NCBN studios.

The visit provided the ACSPN delegation with an insight into the Customs Service's digital operations, modernisation initiatives and evolving media communication strategies.