In a strategic move to reposition the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for enhanced professionalism, ethical conduct, and greater national impact, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, on Tuesday, unveiled the Service’s Reputation Management Guide.
The unveiling ceremony, held at the Customs Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, drew attendance from top management officials, senior officers, communication experts, and public relations professionals.
Describing the launch as a major milestone in the NCS’s transformation agenda, CGC Adeniyi said the guide is designed to institutionalise values of integrity, professionalism, and transparency across all levels of the organisation.
“We want to launch a new phase of Customs. This guide is an opportunity for every officer to be part of a project that rewrites the history of our Service,” he said.
Adeniyi, a veteran in public relations and institutional branding, emphasized that the guide is not merely an internal manual but a symbol of the Service’s commitment to global standards in customs administration and public accountability.
He cited impressive strides made by the Service in recent years including a 70% revenue increase in 2023 and a 92% rise in 2024 as proof that reform efforts are yielding visible results both at home and internationally.
“What gladdens me most is that the world is taking note of the impact our initiatives are making,” the CGC noted, adding that officers must now see themselves as both enforcers of the law and ambassadors of a rebranded, responsible institution.
He also highlighted the Service’s alignment with the World Customs Organisation’s call for ethical leadership, transparency, and inclusivity, noting that the new guide is one of many initiatives underpinned by those global principles.
The Customs boss reaffirmed the Service’s dedication to inclusivity and gender equity, revealing efforts to mainstream women in leadership and align CSR interventions with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our investments in education, healthcare, access to water, and the creative economy are designed to leave a tangible legacy in the communities we serve,” he stated.
Adeniyi further described the guide as both a moral compass and a call to action. “Our image is shaped not just by what we do, but how we do it,” he stressed.
He also thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for extending his tenure, calling the gesture a “renewed motivation and inspiration to do more in the service of the country.”
In a goodwill message, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku represented by Vice President, Prof. Emmanuel Dandaura commended the NCS for embedding reputation management at the core of its operations.
“This is not just a symbolic gesture. It is a strong statement that the NCS treats reputation as a strategic asset,” he said.
Neliaku praised CGC Adeniyi as a model of professional integrity, citing his record of discipline, reform, and visionary leadership. He revealed that in a recent nationwide perception survey by the NIPR, the NCS scored high marks in its performance and public engagement.
The launch of the Reputation Management Guide marks another crucial step in Customs’ modernisation journey, reinforcing its commitment to ethical leadership, institutional reform, and stakeholder trust.
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