Customs Unveils Strategic Communication Blueprint to Boost Public Trust, Trade Facilitation

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has moved to strengthen strategic communication across its operations, with emphasis on building public trust, improving stakeholder engagement and supporting ongoing trade facilitation reforms.

The initiative formed a major focus of the opening day of the Service’s Public Relations Conference in Port Harcourt, where officers and communication practitioners examined ways to better align operational achievements with effective public communication.

Opening the conference, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said communication must be integrated into Customs operations rather than treated as an afterthought.

Maiwada, who also served as the lead presenter, said effective communication was critical to strengthening public confidence, improving compliance and ensuring the successful implementation of reforms across the Service.

He urged public relations officers to make reforms more relatable to Nigerians by highlighting their practical benefits and showcasing success stories.

“We need to humanise reforms and showcase success stories to demonstrate their impact on the everyday citizen, while aligning operational achievement with strategic communication,” Maiwada said.

Speaking during the first technical session, the Managing Director of Reputation Masters Limited, Jossy Nkwocha, called on participants to move beyond conventional public relations practices and embrace strategic planning, innovation and corporate communication as tools for institutional development.

In another presentation, Lawrence Dike of the University of Port Harcourt identified stakeholder engagement as an important component of successful organisational transformation.

Dike said trust, consistency and people-centred communication were necessary for sustaining reforms and strengthening relationships between institutions and their stakeholders.

“Trust is the currency of business and relationships. Trust is your reputation and reputation is your legacy,” he said.

The conference also examined the role of communication in the implementation of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme.

Chief Superintendent of Customs Titus Omajali said the success of the programme would depend largely on effective communication and collaboration among Customs, businesses and other stakeholders across the international supply chain.

He called for stronger stakeholder engagement to improve compliance and facilitate legitimate trade.

A panel discussion moderated by Parry Benson also brought together Customs officers, including CSC Abdullahi Husseini, CSC Oscar Ivara, CSC Emmanuel Tangwa, SC Magaji Dikko and SC Juliana Tomo, who shared practical experiences on managing corporate and strategic communication in complex operational environments.

Also speaking, the General Manager of the Trade Modernisation Project, Bamidele Chinedu, urged Customs public relations practitioners to position themselves as trusted sources of information by communicating clearly, listening to stakeholder feedback and maintaining consistency in their engagement with the public.

The first day of the conference ended with participants committing to strengthen strategic communication across the Nigeria Customs Service, with emphasis on using communication not only to manage institutional reputation but also to drive reforms, enhance stakeholder confidence and improve trade facilitation.