The Nigeria Customs Service has received international recognition for its strategic communication and stakeholder engagement initiatives, with Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi receiving a Special Award of Excellence at the 2026 International Public Relations Association Golden World Awards.
The recognition was presented in Athens, Greece, on Friday, September 25, and focused on the Service’s approach to transparent communication, ethical public relations and stakeholder engagement in supporting its reform programme.
The award also highlighted communication around initiatives aimed at modernising Customs operations, improving trade facilitation and strengthening institutional transparency.
Customs Plans Greater Use of AI
Reacting to the recognition, Adeniyi said the award represented international acknowledgement of the reform efforts being undertaken by the Service.
He said the recognition would encourage Customs to deepen its adoption of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in communicating with the public and other stakeholders.
“We have started using AI tools in our public communication, and we view this recognition as an invitation to do more,” Adeniyi said.
The Customs chief said the Service hoped that by 2027, more Nigerian government institutions would feature prominently among recipients of international awards.
The increasing use of AI in institutional communication could help government agencies analyse information, respond to enquiries and produce public information more efficiently, although the technology also raises questions around accuracy, verification and responsible deployment.
Adeniyi stressed that effective communication remained an important part of implementing government reforms because citizens and businesses need to understand policy objectives, implementation challenges and expected benefits.
Customs Links Communication to Trade Reforms
The Comptroller-General also linked the Service’s reform agenda to efforts to improve Nigeria’s trade competitiveness, support exports and strengthen participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Customs sits at the centre of Nigeria’s international trade architecture because its operations affect cargo clearance, revenue collection, border enforcement and the movement of imports and exports.
Improved communication between the Service, importers, exporters, freight forwarders and other stakeholders could therefore influence how quickly new trade policies and digital systems are understood and adopted.
Nigeria also received the IPRA Grand Prix through Image Merchants Promotion Limited, publishers of PRNigeria and Economic Confidential, for its campaign titled AI for Crisis Communication: From Study to Strategy.
The campaign emerged from research led by IMPR Chief Executive Officer Yushau Shuaib in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency and the Centre for Crisis Communication.
The project examined challenges including AI-driven misinformation, deepfakes and wider digital information disorder before translating the findings into a strategic communication initiative.
IPRA President Esther Cobbah said the 2026 gathering in Athens was particularly significant because the city was where the association developed its public relations Code of Conduct 60 years ago.
For the Nigeria Customs Service, the recognition adds an international communication dimension to its ongoing modernisation agenda as the agency increasingly deploys technology across its operations and engagement with the trading community.
