RismadarVoice Reporters, April 25, 2026
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has joined other key stakeholders in intensifying discussions on food security, policy communication, and stakeholder engagement at the 2026 Nigerian Public Relations Week (NPRW), held in Kaduna State.
The event, themed “Policy Making to Public Plate,” opened on 19 April 2026 at the Brigadier General Abba Kyari Banquet Hall, drawing a high-level audience that included the Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, and the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani. Communication professionals, policymakers, journalists, and public relations experts from across the country also participated in the week-long engagement.
The Nigeria Customs Service recorded a strong institutional presence at the forum, deploying more than 29 Public Relations Officers. The Service said the participation reflects its commitment to strengthening public communication systems, improving stakeholder relations, and enhancing professional standards in public relations practice.
A key highlight of the programme was a high-level panel session examining the role of strategic communication in addressing food inflation and improving public understanding of government interventions on food security.
Speaking during the session, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, stressed that communication remains central to effective policy implementation, particularly in trade facilitation and border management.
“Even at the implementation stage of any policy, communication is critical,” Maiwada said. “Without clearly communicating these policies to the public, they may not achieve the desired impact. When people understand how policies affect them, they are more likely to align with them.”
He further emphasised that sustained, clear communication is essential in building public trust, shaping perceptions, and ensuring policy acceptance, especially in addressing complex challenges such as food inflation and supply chain disruptions.
Other panellists, including Pan-African Parliament Ambassador for Food Security, Bryiyne Chitsunge, and communication expert Agnes Bassey, identified climate change and insecurity as major drivers of rising food costs. They noted that inadequate communication around these issues often fuels misinformation and public misunderstanding.
The session called for stronger collaboration between government institutions and the media, as well as more data-driven and solution-oriented reporting to promote balanced narratives on food security and national development.
In a related engagement, the Nigeria Customs Service hosted a dinner for Public Relations Officers at the B.A. Adeniyi Officers’ Mess in Kaduna. The gathering provided officers an opportunity to strengthen internal camaraderie outside formal sessions.
The dinner was attended by the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Zone B Headquarters, ACG Nsika Umoh, and the Comptroller of the Kaduna Area Command, Comptroller Sa’ad Hassan, alongside other officers participating in the conference.
In her remarks, ACG Umoh commended the cohesion within the Customs Public Relations Unit, describing the professional bond among officers as “inspiring and family-oriented,” while urging sustained unity in advancing the Service’s communication mandate.
