Customs Integrates AI into Fight Against Fake News, Digital Fraud
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed plans to strengthen its response to fake news, online scams and misleading information through artificial intelligence (AI) and digital data-tracking tools.
The Service said the technology would support efforts to monitor public sentiment, establish facts surrounding Customs activities and identify individuals behind misleading information that could damage its reputation.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this through the National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, at the Neccipr Roundtable 2026 in Lagos on Friday, October 30.
The event, themed “Algorithm Influence & Public Relations,” examined how algorithms and emerging technologies shape public opinion, information flow and strategic communication.
Maiwada said AI had become increasingly important to both the operational activities and communication strategies of the Service, particularly in managing risks and responding to public concerns.
He explained that AI was already being deployed in Customs operations to assess the risks associated with imported goods, classify consignments according to their risk levels and guide appropriate interventions.
“The role of AI cannot be overemphasised, especially within our operations. Over the years, AI has been deployed in our core operational duties as well as strategic communication,” he said.
According to him, the technology could also help the Service analyse public sentiment and understand how Nigerians perceive its activities, enabling communicators to respond more effectively to concerns and misinformation.
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Maiwada stressed that Customs communication must go beyond issuing statements to ensuring that the public understands the reasons behind officers’ actions and operational decisions.
He added that the Service was using available platforms to establish facts and collaborating with relevant agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for spreading misleading information.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns about the speed at which false claims, manipulated content and online scams can circulate across digital platforms, potentially undermining public trust in institutions.
Earlier, the convener of the Neccipr Roundtable 2026, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, said public relations professionals must play a leading role in shaping national discourse rather than merely managing messages.
She noted that the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital algorithms had changed how people encountered information and formed opinions.
“This year, we confront a question that touches every one of us. When machines decide what we see, who is really shaping the Nigerian mind?” she asked.
Ali-Balogun warned that algorithms could influence political narratives, amplify conspiracy theories and determine the information consumed and shared by millions of people.
The roundtable also featured keynote addresses by the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, and former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, alongside other invited dignitaries.
Discussions focused on the implications of algorithm-driven communication for public relations practice and the need to sustain credible information in an increasingly technology-driven environment.
The Customs Service said its use of AI in strategic communication would complement its operational applications, supporting risk management, information analysis and efforts to strengthen public confidence in the institution.
