The Nigeria Customs Service has secured international recognition for its strategic communication and stakeholder engagement efforts, with Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, receiving a Special Award of Excellence at the 2026 International Public Relations Association Golden World Awards in Athens, Greece.

The award was presented on September 25, 2026, with the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, announcing the recognition in a statement.

The honour recognises the Customs Service’s approach to transparent communication, stakeholder engagement and ethical public relations in communicating and supporting its ongoing institutional reforms.

According to the Service, the communication strategy has supported efforts to modernise Customs operations, improve trade facilitation and strengthen institutional transparency. 

Receiving the award, Adeniyi described the recognition as an international acknowledgement of the reform initiatives being implemented by the Service.

He said the recognition would further encourage Customs to expand its use of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in public communication and engagement with stakeholders.

“We have started using artificial intelligence tools in our public communication, and we view this recognition as an invitation to do more,” Adeniyi said. 

The Customs chief expressed the ambition for the Service and other Nigerian government agencies to secure greater visibility among international award recipients by 2027.

He also linked the Service’s reform agenda to broader efforts to improve Nigeria’s trade competitiveness, facilitate exports and strengthen the country’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Adeniyi further welcomed Nigeria’s success at the IPRA Grand Prix, describing the achievement as evidence of the country’s growing presence in international strategic communication. 

The recognition comes as the Nigeria Customs Service continues to place greater emphasis on communication as part of its institutional reform programme.

For the Service, effective public relations remains important in helping citizens, traders and other stakeholders understand the objectives of reforms, their implementation challenges and their expected impact.

The award therefore provides another international platform for the NCS to showcase its communication strategy alongside its ongoing efforts to modernise operations and improve engagement with stakeholders.