Customs Unveils Reputation Handbook to Guide Officers’ Conduct, Rebrand Agency
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday launched a “Reputation Management Handbook” aimed at guiding its officers’ conduct and improving the public image of the agency.
The unveiling ceremony was held at the Customs National Headquarters in Abuja.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, said the handbook would serve as a practical guide for officers and men to understand their roles and responsibilities, and to conduct themselves with professionalism and ethics.
He said the initiative was timely, especially as the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) is leading a national campaign to rebrand Nigeria and promote positive narratives about the country.
He commended the NIPR and promised that Customs would support the initiative and mobilise other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to participate.
“It is important that we awaken the responsibility of every Customs officer to the fact that they are the number one reputation managers of the Service wherever they go,” Adeniyi said.
He added that the handbook would help officers behave in a manner that reflects the core values of the agency.
According to him, the document marks the beginning of a new phase in the Service, as it aims to go beyond its traditional mandates of revenue collection and anti-smuggling enforcement.
The Comptroller-General described the launch as an opportunity for officers to be part of a broader effort to rewrite the history of the Nigeria Customs.
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In his remarks, the President of NIPR, Dr. Ike Neliaku, who was represented by his Vice, Professor Emmanuel Dandaura, commended the Nigeria Customs for taking a bold step in institutionalizing reputation management within the agency.
He noted that the unveiling of the handbook was not a symbolic gesture but a practical demonstration that Customs does not treat reputation as a mere buzzword, but as a vital asset that every organisation must nurture to thrive in today’s competitive environment.
Dr. Neliaku described the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, as an embodiment of sterling professional reputation, citing his track record of dedication, discipline, and reform-oriented leadership.
He said the decision to launch a formal guide for officer conduct under Adeniyi’s watch was a reflection of the CG’s belief in the power of perception, credibility, and institutional integrity.
The NIPR President further disclosed that in a recent nationwide reputation perception survey conducted by the Institute, the Nigeria Customs scored significantly high marks in the way it has been discharging its core mandates.
According to him, this positive outcome is an encouraging sign that the agency’s reforms are not only working internally but are also resonating with the public.
Neliaku expressed confidence that with this handbook, Customs officers would be better equipped to represent the Service with a strong sense of responsibility, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
He assured the NIPR’s continued partnership with the Nigeria Customs in the ongoing effort to reshape Nigeria’s national image through responsible institutional behavior.
