Maiwada leads push for stronger customs-media collaboration at PR Conference

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

The National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, has called for deeper collaboration between the Service and the media, stressing that a stronger partnership is essential to promoting transparency, trade facilitation, border security and public trust.

Maiwada made the call at the opening of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where Public Relations Officers from Customs commands nationwide met with journalists from the South-South and South-East regions at a media parley.

The conference, themed “Realigning Corporate Communication as a Strategic Driver of Institutional Effectiveness and Public Trust,” is aimed at strengthening the Service’s communication strategy and enhancing stakeholder engagement.

Addressing journalists, Maiwada described the media as a critical partner in communicating government policies, Customs procedures, trade regulations and the Service’s reform initiatives to stakeholders and the Nigerian public.

He said the media engagement was intentionally designed as an interactive platform to consolidate the longstanding relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and journalists while promoting professionalism and balanced reporting.

“The media parley is carefully designed to deepen collaboration, strengthen professionalism and further reinforce the relationship between the Nigeria Customs Service and the media,” he said.

Some Commands PRO’s

Maiwada acknowledged the role journalists have continued to play in projecting the Service’s achievements, reforms and operational activities, noting that objective reporting remains indispensable to building public confidence in Customs operations.

He urged media practitioners to embrace constructive dialogue and continue to support public enlightenment efforts capable of driving economic growth, facilitating legitimate trade, enhancing border security and advancing the Federal Government’s broader development agenda.

“We should continue to explore innovative ways of promoting public awareness that will support economic growth, strengthen border security and advance national development objectives,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Coordinator of Zone C and Acting Assistant Comptroller-General, Pascal Chibuoke, described the media parley as a strategic initiative that reinforces the enduring partnership between Customs and the media.

He commended the Comptroller-General for approving the conference, describing it as another demonstration of the Service’s commitment to transparency, openness and stakeholder engagement.

Chibuoke also praised Maiwada’s leadership, saying his innovative approach to corporate communication has significantly enhanced public understanding of the statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service while projecting the institution positively.

Tangwan

Earlier, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Chief Superintendent of Customs Emmanuel Tangwa, described the gathering as a reflection of the Service’s unwavering commitment to transparency, professionalism and accountability.

According to him, Customs Public Relations Officers are not merely information managers but strategic contributors to national security, revenue generation, trade facilitation and economic development.

Tangwa said the choice of Port Harcourt as the host city was symbolic because of the South-South and South-East’s strategic importance to Nigeria’s maritime industry and international trade.

“In an era where information travels at unprecedented speed, transparency is no longer optional but imperative,” he said, adding that sustained collaboration with the media remains essential for building public trust and promoting informed national discourse.

Also speaking, the Customs Area Controller of Area I Command, Port Harcourt, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, noted that effective communication has become central to modern public administration.

She said public trust can only be sustained through openness, professionalism, accuracy and mutual respect, urging journalists to continue reporting Customs activities fairly and objectively.

Goodwill messages were delivered by Apostle Tony Nzekwe, who represented maritime journalists in Zone C, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, Paul Bazia, both of whom pledged continued cooperation with the Nigeria Customs Service.

The opening ceremony also featured an interactive question-and-answer session during which Maiwada, Acting Controller of the Eastern Marine Command, Deputy Comptroller Esien Essiet, and Assistant Comptroller M.A. Haruna, representing the Controller of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone C, addressed operational concerns and clarified issues relating to Customs procedures and enforcement activities.

Oloyede

The conference attracted Customs Area Controllers from Zone C, Public Relations Officers from commands across the country, media executives, publishers, editors and correspondents, and is expected to conclude on Friday with resolutions aimed at repositioning corporate communication as a strategic tool for institutional effectiveness and public confidence.