Customs reform earns global acclaim, Adeniyi bags IPRA Award

Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

ABUJA — The reform drive of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has received international recognition, with the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, honoured with a Special Award of Excellence at the 2026 International Public Relations Association, IPRA, Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece.

A statement issued by the NCS in Abuja yesterday said Adeniyi received the award in recognition of the Service’s strategic communication, stakeholder engagement and ethical public relations efforts in support of its ongoing reforms.

The recognition came as the NCS intensifies efforts to modernise Customs operations, facilitate trade and strengthen institutional transparency through improved engagement with stakeholders and the public.

Receiving the award, Adeniyi said the recognition represented international acknowledgement of the reforms being undertaken by the Service and would encourage it to expand its use of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, AI, in public communication.

“We have started using AI tools in our public communication, and we view this recognition as an invitation to do more. By 2027, we hope the NCS and more Nigerian agencies will feature prominently among global award recipients,” he said.

The Customs boss stressed the importance of effective communication to the success of government reforms, noting that citizens and stakeholders needed to understand the objectives of reforms, the challenges associated with their implementation and the benefits expected from them.

According to him, the NCS reform agenda is aligned with the economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly efforts to enhance Nigeria’s trade competitiveness, facilitate exports and strengthen the country’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.

The recognition came against the backdrop of the Service’s broader reform programme aimed at improving Customs administration, facilitating legitimate trade and strengthening engagement with businesses and other stakeholders.

Adeniyi said the award would encourage the NCS to deepen its communication strategy and embrace new technologies capable of improving the way government agencies interact with citizens.

He expressed optimism that by 2027, the NCS and other Nigerian public institutions would secure greater visibility and recognition on the global strategic communication stage.