Customs Deepens Digital Reform, Strategic Communication Drive with B’Odogwu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reaffirmed the strategic importance of effective communication in driving institutional reforms, facilitating trade, enhancing revenue generation and strengthening engagement with stakeholders.
The Service also highlighted its B’Odogwu digital modernisation platform as a key component of its ongoing digital transformation agenda.
The National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, stated this on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, while representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, at the 13th Annual Conference of the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN), held at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja.
Maiwada said communication remained critical to the successful implementation of the Customs Service’s mandate, stressing that technological and institutional reforms could not achieve their intended objectives without effective communication with relevant stakeholders.
“Our critical role in trade facilitation, revenue generation and anti-smuggling cannot be effective without effective communication,” he said.
He explained that the NCS had continued to deploy technology and innovative approaches to improve its operations, identifying B’Odogwu as a major pillar of its digital transformation strategy.
According to him, the platform represents an innovative trade model that is attracting attention beyond Nigeria and underscores the Service’s commitment to modernising customs administration through technology.
Maiwada also highlighted the NCS “Town and Gown” initiative, aimed at strengthening collaboration between academic institutions and professional practitioners in the field of communication.
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He disclosed that the initiative had already commenced at Bayero University, Kano, and in Port Harcourt, with plans to further expand the integration of academia into the Service’s communication and stakeholder-engagement activities in 2027.
The Customs spokesman said deeper collaboration with communication scholars and professionals would enable the Service to leverage contemporary research, professional expertise and emerging communication technologies in advancing its institutional objectives.
He added that the partnership would equally provide academic institutions with practical insights into Customs operations and the realities of institutional communication.
The conference brought together communication scholars, media professionals and institutional stakeholders to examine the evolving communication landscape and the implications of emerging technologies for democracy and electoral processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In his opening remarks, the ACSPN President, Professor Rotimi Olatunji, emphasised the importance of informed citizens, credible media and transparent institutions to the sustenance of constitutional democracy.
A keynote presentation delivered on behalf of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Sani Adam, also highlighted emerging threats associated with the use of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, including deepfakes, AI-generated content and candidate impersonation.
The Customs Service’s participation at the conference followed an earlier engagement on Monday, August 31, 2026, when the Service hosted the ACSPN leadership at its National Headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting explored areas of collaboration in digital communication, media engagement, professional development and stronger institutional ties between academia and the Customs Service.
Building on the engagement, the conference featured technical sessions focusing on electoral communication and the challenges posed by the digital age, before concluding with a dinner and award ceremony recognising distinguished contributions to communication scholarship and professional practice.
By PRNigeria
