Service plans ACSPN membership, NCBN expansion to Lagos as scholars seek stronger media synergy ahead of 2027 elections
By Suleiman Aremu | Solaremnews | Tuesday 1 September, 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has moved to deepen its partnership with the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN), with a focus on strategic communication, digital media, professional development and effective public engagement.
The development followed a visit by the executive members of ACSPN to the NCS National Headquarters in Abuja on Monday, August 31, 2026, where both organisations explored areas of collaboration aimed at strengthening communication practices within the Service and the wider media industry.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the National Public Relations Officer and spokesperson for the NCS, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, emphasised the importance of communication to the success of institutional reforms.
Maiwada said effective communication must be integrated into every reform process to ensure that policies and initiatives are properly understood by stakeholders and the public.
He identified the Service’s monthly newsletter, social media platforms and data analytics as some of the tools being deployed to improve communication and public engagement.
“In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result,” Maiwada said.
He explained that the NCS had continued to explore innovative approaches to communicating its activities, including leveraging the creative industry to tell the story of the Service and its personnel.
According to him, the Service’s one-off movie, Beyond the Badge, as well as its 79-episode movie series, Novera, are examples of its efforts to utilise creative storytelling to engage the public.
Maiwada disclosed that the projects had begun generating revenue for the NCS while also creating employment opportunities within the entertainment industry.
The Customs spokesman further disclosed plans to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) to Lagos as part of efforts to strengthen the Service’s broadcasting and communication capacity.
He also announced the intention of the NCS to pursue corporate membership of ACSPN and encourage its Public Relations officers to become members of the professional association.
Earlier, the President of ACSPN, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, commended Maiwada for his continued support for the association and described him as an enduring ambassador of ACSPN.
Olatunji welcomed the proposed institutional partnership between the association and the Customs Service, stressing that ACSPN was prepared to support NCS personnel interested in pursuing higher academic and professional qualifications.
He noted that communication professionals had an important role to play in ensuring that organisations remained responsive to the needs and expectations of the public.
“When communication scholars are given the opportunity to lead organisations, they excel because they remain conscious of public needs, sensibilities, and sensitivities,” Olatunji said.
The engagement also featured a joint press briefing at the NCS headquarters auditorium, during which ACSPN formally announced its 2026 National Conference.
The conference, themed “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruptions and Dynamics of Communication,” is expected to focus on the changing media environment and the growing influence of technology on political communication.
The conference will, among other issues, examine the impact of artificial intelligence, social media and digital platforms on electoral and political communication ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists at the briefing, Olatunji called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and media practitioners to promote fact-based public discourse and strengthen the credibility of information available to citizens.
He expressed concern over the growing spread of misinformation and disinformation, particularly with the increasing use of artificial intelligence to create and manipulate content.
According to him, the emergence of AI-generated content, including deepfakes, has created additional challenges for media organisations and citizens who rely on digital platforms for information.
He therefore urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking as part of their editorial processes, stressing that this would help citizens distinguish credible information from manipulated or misleading content, particularly during electoral periods.
Olatunji said stronger cooperation between academia and the media was necessary to address emerging communication challenges and promote responsible journalism in the digital age.
The visit ended with a guided tour of key facilities at the NCS headquarters, including the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Modernisation Department as well as the NCBN studios.
During the tour, the ACSPN delegation was briefed on the Customs Service’s digital operations, modernisation initiatives and media strategy, providing members of the association with insight into the Service’s evolving approach to institutional communication.
The engagement underscored the growing importance of strategic communication, digital technology and professional capacity-building in the operations of public institutions, particularly as Nigeria moves towards the 2027 general elections.
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