NCS, ACSPN seek collaboration on media, digital communication

By Onu Okorie

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has opened discussions with the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) on deeper collaboration in media, digital communication and professional development.
The engagement took place on Monday at the NCS National Headquarters in Abuja when executive members of ACSPN paid a courtesy visit to the Service.
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the National Public Relations Officer and spokesperson of the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, underscored the strategic importance of communication in driving institutional reforms.
Maiwada said the NCS had deployed several communication platforms, including its monthly newsletter, social media channels and data analytics, to communicate its reforms and engage stakeholders.
“In every reform, communication must be embedded to achieve the desired result,” he said.
The Customs spokesman also highlighted the Service’s growing engagement with Nigeria’s creative industry, disclosing that its one-off movie, Beyond the Badge, and the 79-episode series, Novera, had begun generating revenue for the NCS while creating employment opportunities within the entertainment industry.
He further disclosed plans by the Service to expand the Nigeria Customs Broadcasting Network (NCBN) to Lagos.
Maiwada also announced the Service’s intention to pursue corporate membership of ACSPN and encourage its Public Relations officers to join the association as part of efforts to strengthen professionalism and capacity development.
Speaking earlier, the President of ACSPN, Professor Rotimi Williams Olatunji, commended Maiwada for his support and contributions to the association, describing him as an ambassador of the professional body.
Olatunji welcomed the proposed institutional partnership and assured the NCS of ACSPN’s readiness to support officers of the Service seeking higher 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.
At a joint press briefing held at the NCS headquarters auditorium, ACSPN also formally announced its 2026 National Conference, with the theme: “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 other digital platforms on political communication ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists, Olatunji called for stronger collaboration between communication scholars and media practitioners to promote fact-based public discourse and tackle misinformation, disinformation and AI-manipulated content, including deepfakes.
He urged media organisations to institutionalise fact-checking mechanisms to enable citizens navigate the increasingly complex nature of electoral communication in the digital age.
The visit ended with a guided tour of key facilities at the Customs headquarters, including the Information and Communication Technology and Modernisation Department and the NCBN studios.
Members of the ACSPN delegation were briefed on the Service’s digital operations and media strategy during the tour.
Clarify the proposed partnership’s practical benefits
Tighten the final paragraphs
Use consistent style for official titles.