Customs, ACSPN Deepen Partnership On Media, Digital Communication

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) have agreed to strengthen collaboration in media, digital communication and professional development.

The agreement followed a meeting between the executive members of ACSPN and the NCS management at the Service’s national headquarters in Abuja on Monday.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, said effective communication was central to the success of institutional reforms.

Maiwada highlighted the NCS monthly newsletter, social media platforms and data analytics as some of the tools being deployed to communicate the Service’s activities and reforms.

“In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result,” he said.

The Customs spokesman also disclosed that the Service was exploring the creative industry as another avenue for public engagement and revenue generation.

He cited the NCS movie, *Beyond the Badge*, and its 79-episode series, *Novera*, as examples of the Service’s efforts to combine communication with creative content.

According to him, the projects have started generating revenue for the Service while also creating employment opportunities in the entertainment sector.

Maiwada further announced plans to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) to Lagos as part of efforts to strengthen the Service’s communication reach.

He said the NCS was also considering corporate membership of ACSPN and would encourage its public relations officers to become members of the professional association.

Earlier, ACSPN President, Prof. Rotimi Williams Olatunji, commended Maiwada for his support for the association and welcomed the proposed institutional partnership.

Olatunji said ACSPN was prepared to assist Customs personnel seeking to improve their academic and professional qualifications.

“When communication scholars are given the opportunity to lead organisations, they excel because they remain conscious of public needs, sensibilities, and sensitivities,” he said.

The association used the engagement to announce its 2026 National Conference, which will focus on the theme, “Media, Technology and Elections in Africa: Navigating Digital Disruptions and Dynamics of Communication.”

Olatunji said the conference would examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence, social media and other digital platforms on political communication ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He also called for closer cooperation between communication scholars and media practitioners in addressing misinformation and disinformation, particularly as AI-generated content and deepfakes become increasingly prevalent.

The ACSPN president urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking mechanisms to help citizens distinguish credible information from manipulated content during the electoral period.

The engagement ended with a tour of selected facilities at the Customs headquarters, including the Information and Communication Technology/Modernisation Department and the NCBN studios.

The delegation was briefed on the Service’s digital operations, communication systems and media strategy during the tour.