NIPR Inducts 70 Nigeria Customs PR Officers as CGC Adeniyi Calls for Ethical, Strategic Communication
The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) has inducted 70 Public Relations officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in a move aimed at strengthening the Service’s strategic communication and professionalising its Public Relations workforce.
The induction, held on July 13, 2026, at the Service Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, marks the NCS’s first mass induction into the Institute since 2013. The ceremony reflects the Service’s commitment to building a corps of certified communication professionals equipped to effectively project its reforms, operations, and institutional achievements.
Addressing the newly inducted officers, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, described the induction as a strategic investment in the future of the Service’s communication architecture.
CGC Adeniyi noted that the Service’s transformation, including its recognition as the best-performing government agency in Ease of Doing Business, was the result of deliberate reforms that require competent professionals to communicate the Service’s successes with clarity, credibility, and purpose.
He stressed that as the Service transitions to a technology-driven Customs administration, Public Relations practitioners must remain proactive in countering misinformation, managing public perception, and sustaining stakeholders’ confidence.
“Rumours will be heard, narratives will be pushed, so be ready to use your communication with clarity and the necessary measures so rumours can be addressed swiftly and decisively,” he said.
The CGC also revealed that the Service’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, Customs Cares, is set to receive recognition at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, describing it as a legacy project whose impact must continue to be amplified through strategic, ethical, and professional communication.
In his remarks, the President and Chairman of Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Dr. Ike Neliaku, commended the Service for prioritising professionalism and investing in the development of certified communication practitioners.
Dr. Neliaku observed that under the leadership of the Comptroller-General, the Service has evolved into a national institution admired for its reforms, corporate excellence, and growing influence within the global Customs community.
“You can no longer dismiss matters concerning the Service. You must be proud of this as a Nigerian,” he stated.
Also speaking, retired Comptroller of Customs and former National Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, urged the newly inducted officers to uphold the ethics of the Public Relations profession by remaining truthful, accurate, and responsible in their communication.
He encouraged them to embrace continuous professional development through seminars, workshops and active participation in NIPR activities, emphasising that effective crisis communication demands composure, empathy, and strategic thinking.
In his welcome remarks, the National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Aliyu Maiwada, affirmed that the milestone would not have been achieved without the commitment of CGC Adeniyi, as well as other former spokespersons of the Service who nurtured the unit to its current enviable height.
The induction of the 70 officers marks another milestone in the Service’s ongoing reform agenda and reinforces its commitment to institutionalising excellence in strategic communication.
