By Saminu Ibrahim
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has pledged to deepen collaboration with the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) in media, digital communication and professional development.
The commitment was made on Monday when the executive members of ACSPN visited the NCS National Headquarters in Abuja.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said effective communication remained critical to the success of institutional reforms.
Maiwada highlighted the NCS monthly newsletter, social media platforms and data analytics as some of the tools being deployed by the Service to communicate its activities and reforms.
He said, “In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result.”
The Customs spokesman also disclosed that the Service had expanded its engagement with the creative industry through its one-off movie, Beyond the Badge, and the 79-episode series, Novera.
According to him, the productions have begun generating revenue for the NCS while creating employment opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Maiwada further announced plans to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network to Lagos, adding that the Service would pursue corporate membership of ACSPN and encourage its public relations officers to join the association.
Earlier, the President of ACSPN, Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji, commended Maiwada for his longstanding support for the association and welcomed the proposed institutional partnership with the NCS.
Olatunji pledged ACSPN’s support for Customs personnel seeking higher academic and professional qualifications.
He said, “When communication scholars are given the opportunity to lead organisations, they excel because they remain conscious of public needs, sensibilities, and sensitivities.”
Speaking at a joint press briefing at the NCS headquarters, Olatunji announced the association’s 2026 National Conference, themed, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruptions and Dynamics of Communication.”
He said the conference would focus on the growing influence of artificial intelligence, social media and digital platforms on political communication ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Olatunji also called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and media practitioners to promote fact-based public discourse and tackle misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content, including deepfakes.
He urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking mechanisms to enable citizens make informed decisions in an increasingly complex digital and electoral environment.
The visit ended with a tour of key facilities at the Customs headquarters, including the Information and Communication Technology/Modernisation Department and the NCBN studios, where the delegation was briefed on the Service’s digital operations and media strategy.
