RismadarVoice Reporters
September 2, 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) are set to deepen collaboration in media, digital communication and professional development.
The partnership took centre stage on Monday, August 31, 2026, when ACSPN executives visited the NCS headquarters in Abuja to explore areas of institutional cooperation.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Service’s National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, stressed the strategic role of communication in driving and explaining institutional reforms.
“In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result,” Maiwada said.
He highlighted the NCS monthly newsletter, social media platforms and data analytics as key tools in its communication strategy. He also disclosed that the Service’s creative projects, including the film Beyond the Badge and the 79-episode series Novera, are generating revenue while creating jobs in the entertainment sector.
Maiwada further announced plans to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) to Lagos and disclosed that the Service would pursue corporate membership of ACSPN while encouraging its Public Relations officers to join the association.
ACSPN President, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, commended Maiwada for his support of the association and welcomed the proposed institutional partnership.
Olatunji pledged ACSPN’s support for Customs personnel seeking higher academic and professional qualifications, noting that communication professionals in leadership positions are better positioned to understand public needs and sensitivities.
At a joint press briefing, ACSPN announced its 2026 National Conference, themed “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruptions and Dynamics of Communication.”
The conference will examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence, social media and digital platforms on political communication ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
Olatunji called for stronger collaboration between scholars and media practitioners to combat misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated manipulation, including deepfakes. He also urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking as digital platforms increasingly shape electoral discourse.
The visit featured a tour of the NCS ICT/Modernisation Department and NCBN studios, where the delegation received briefings on the Service’s digital operations and media strategy.
