The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced its 2025 Public Relations Officers Workshop, urging officers to uphold professionalism, resilience, and innovation in protecting the institution’s reputation and fostering stakeholder trust.
The four-day workshop took centre stage at the Centre of Excellence, Twin Theatres, Bayero University, Kano, on Monday, September 22, 2025.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who was represented by the Ag. Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Inspection, and Investigation, Timi Bomodi, declared the workshop open.
While delivering the keynote address, DCG Bomodi affirmed that the NCS operates at the “confluence of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and national security,” where every decision impacts Nigerians, the business community, and international partners.
He explained that in such a sensitive environment, communication must go beyond announcements and ceremonies, stressing that public relations officers serve as interpreters of policy, mediators in disputes, crisis managers during operational challenges, and custodians of the Service’s corporate image.
“Our actions may speak, but it is the voice of public relations that interprets, contextualises, and gives meaning to these actions. That is why this workshop is not just a routine exercise, but a strategic investment in the future of the Service,” Bomodi said.
He noted that the workshop’s theme, “Beyond Masters of Ceremony: The Strategic Role of Public Relations Officers for Institutional Growth and Stakeholder Trust”, was timely, as it repositioned PROs away from being mere event announcers to becoming central players in policy, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement.
The DCG urged participants to master digital communication, artificial intelligence, and crisis response, noting that the rapid pace of technology and the risk of misinformation required sharp skills.
“The work of a PRO is not without its challenges. You will face crises that test your judgment, criticism that questions your integrity, and moments where silence may seem safer than speaking. But it is in these moments that your professionalism is most needed,” he stated.
DCG Bomodi described the Customs-Bayero University partnership as “a bridge between scholarship and practice”, while assuring officers that the Customs leadership recognises PR as a pillar of reform, not an afterthought.
He also assured officers that capacity building would remain a priority and welcomed students from the institution who attended the session.
Bomodi advised the students that their exposure to the experiences of serving officers would enrich their academic learning.
He further charged participants to recommit themselves to professionalism, innovation, and integrity, adding that “the legacy you leave will not be measured by the number of events you anchored, but by the trust you built, the narratives you shaped, and the credibility you sustained for the Service.”
The Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, represented by his Director-General of Media, Sanusi Bature, commended the Service for its contributions to national security, trade facilitation, and revenue generation.
Bature emphasised that integrity and fairness were the heart of effective public relations, noting that the Service’s National PRO, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, had set a benchmark in building public trust.
He stressed that artificial intelligence, digital analytics, and social media engagement are new frontiers PR professionals must master to stay relevant. However, he warned that no technology can replace human values of honesty, empathy, and responsibility in communication.
He commended the NCS and its spokesperson, AC Maiwada, for organising the workshop, which he described as a timely platform for advancing professionalism in PR practice.
The Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Professor Haruna Musa, who hosted the event, welcomed participants and assured them of the university’s continuous partnership in training and research.
He acknowledged that the institution was proud to host the workshop, describing it as a platform that “blends theory with practice in preparing officers for the demands of modern communication.”
Similarly, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, delivered a paper, highlighting the role of strategic communication in nation-building.
Neliaku urged PROs to become institutional vision-bearers who “move beyond managing perception to actively shaping the credibility and trust upon which governance thrives.”
On his part, the former Vice Chancellor of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, underscored the role of social media in public communication.
Prof. Adamu advised officers to utilise online platforms as tools for transparency and accountability, while remaining vigilant against disinformation.
Other resource persons also expressed confidence that the workshop would sharpen officers’ communication skills, deepen engagement with stakeholders, and strengthen the Service’s image as a modern institution.
