The Nigeria Customs Service (Nigeria Customs Service) has reinforced its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the media as part of broader efforts to enhance public enlightenment, deepen stakeholder engagement, and support national development.
The commitment was reaffirmed on Monday during a media parley held at the Kano/Jigawa Area Command Headquarters, Bompai, Kano, where senior Customs officers engaged journalists and members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (Nigeria Union of Journalists) drawn from Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, and Katsina states.
Organised by the Service’s National Public Relations Unit and themed “Building Synergy Between the Media and Customs for Enhanced Stakeholders’ Awareness and National Development,” the engagement provided a platform for dialogue on improving communication between Customs and the media in the face of ongoing institutional reforms.
Speaking at the parley, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, described the media as a strategic partner in governance and public communication, noting that it plays a vital role in bridging the gap between government institutions and the public.
He explained that under the leadership of Comptroller-General Adewale Adeniyi, the Service has continued to implement far-reaching reforms in trade modernisation, digital transformation, intelligence-driven enforcement, stakeholder engagement, and institutional transparency aimed at repositioning Customs for greater efficiency and accountability.
According to him, these reforms require sustained media collaboration to ensure accurate, timely, and balanced reporting, even as he cautioned against misinformation and urged journalists to uphold professionalism in their reportage.
He further assured that the Service would continue to work closely with the media to promote clarity in its operations, adding that effective communication remains central to building public trust and institutional credibility.
In the same vein, the Acting Customs Area Controller of the Kano/Jigawa Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Usman Adamu, described the engagement as timely and necessary, stressing that strong communication between Customs and the media is essential for achieving revenue generation, trade facilitation, and border security objectives.
He added that sustained engagement would further enhance public understanding of Customs operations, particularly in key areas affecting trade compliance and enforcement.
Similarly, the Vice Chairman of the Kano State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mustapha Muhammad, commended the initiative, describing the relationship between the media and Customs as mutually beneficial and critical to national development.
He reaffirmed the commitment of journalists to ethical and responsible reporting, while also acknowledging the Kano/Jigawa Area Command for maintaining a cordial working relationship with the media.
The session also featured an interactive discussion, during which journalists sought clarifications on operational procedures, enforcement activities, and trade facilitation processes, while Customs officials provided responses aimed at improving public understanding.
Both parties underscored the importance of sustained dialogue, mutual trust, and professional engagement as key drivers for strengthening institutional transparency and improving service delivery.
