The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has attributed its achievements in revenue generation, trade facilitation, border security, economic growth and regional integration to sustained public trust and stakeholder collaboration.

The Service noted that recent reforms driven by innovation require effective public communication to ensure stakeholders understand new policies, procedures and operational changes.

The NCS therefore, called for stronger collaboration with the media, describing public trust as the bedrock of its operations ahead of its 2026 Public Relations Week scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday ahead of the annual conference, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, said strategic communication had become indispensable to the success of ongoing reforms in customs administration, trade facilitation and border security.

The 2026 PR Week is themed: “Realigning Corporate Communication as a Strategic Driver of Institutional Effectiveness and Public Trust.”

Maiwada said the Service regarded journalists as partners in national development rather than mere observers, noting that accurate, balanced and factual reporting remained critical to helping Nigerians understand the reforms being implemented by the agency.

“There won’t be a Nigerian Customs Service without trust,” he said, stressing that public confidence remained central to the Service’s mandate of revenue collection, trade facilitation and border security.

“The media serves as the bridge through which government policies, customs procedures, trade regulations and enforcement activities are communicated to stakeholders and the general public,” he said.

Maiwada urged journalists to sustain timely, accurate and balanced reportage of Customs activities, while encouraging open dialogue during the conference to deepen collaboration between the Service and the media.

He said the partnership would enhance public awareness, strengthen border security, support economic growth and advance the Federal Government‘s broader national development objectives.

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for PR Week 2026, Comptroller Emmanuel Tangwa, described the media engagement as a demonstration of the Customs Service’s commitment to transparency, professionalism and stakeholder engagement.

He said the event would provide an opportunity to clarify Customs policies, address misconceptions and reinforce accountability at a time when information spreads rapidly across digital platforms.
“In an era where information travels at unprecedented speed, transparency is no longer optional; it is imperative,” Tangwa said.

He described the gathering as historic, noting that it was the first strategic media parley organised by the Customs Public Relations Office for journalists from the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.

According to him, hosting the event in Port Harcourt was both symbolic and strategic, given the city’s position as one of Nigeria’s foremost maritime and commercial hubs.

Tangwa also commended Maiwada for what he described as proactive leadership in strengthening institutional transparency and stakeholder engagement, adding that the decision to host the event in the region underscored the fact that “every command, every stakeholder and every region matters.”

He further applauded journalists for reporting from ports, border communities and other operational areas, saying their work had helped project the Service’s reforms, achievements and operational challenges to both local and international audiences.

Speaking earlier, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, Paul Bazia, said the conference’s emphasis on strategic communication and public trust aligned with the union’s commitment to development journalism.

Bazia said the Rivers NUJ had deliberately shifted its focus from crisis reporting to highlighting development initiatives and opportunities, adding that effective public relations could only thrive on transparency and two-way communication.

“It is important that we communicate the truth and remain transparent so that we can earn public trust and sustain it,” he said.