The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has launched its Reputation Management Guide, a policy document aimed at redefining institutional culture and officer conduct.
The launch event, held at the Service’s headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, was presided over by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. The ceremony drew the attendance of senior Customs officials, communication professionals, and members of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).
Describing the guide as a “strategic milestone” in the NCS’s ongoing transformation, Adeniyi said the initiative would provide officers with practical tools to strengthen public trust, enhance transparency, and meet global standards in customs administration.
“We are launching a new phase for Customs – one that goes beyond our traditional mandate,” Adeniyi stated. “This guide is not just a document, but a call to action for every officer to be part of a legacy that redefines our image.”
A seasoned public relations expert himself, Adeniyi explained that the guide was designed to reflect and reinforce core values such as integrity, professionalism, and service excellence – principles he said should guide every interaction with citizens, businesses, and international partners.
Highlighting recent achievements, he noted that the Service had surpassed its revenue targets in successive years, with a 70 per cent increase in 2023 and a 92 per cent rise in 2024. He credited this growth to the ongoing reforms and renewed professionalism within the Service.
“Beyond these numbers, what gladdens me most is that the world is taking note of the impact our initiatives are making,” he added.
Adeniyi emphasised the importance of repositioning Customs officers as credible ambassadors of a modern, responsible government agency, aligning with expectations set by global institutions like the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
“WCO expects Customs to be champions of transparency, inclusivity, and ethical leadership. Our response is the deliberate rollout of initiatives such as this Reputation Guide and our CSR programmes,” he said.
The CGC also reaffirmed the NCS’s commitment to inclusive leadership and gender representation, linking the guide to broader national efforts under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. He said the Service was investing in education, healthcare, access to clean water, and the creative economy to create sustainable impact in communities where it operates.
“This guide is part of that national vision,” Adeniyi noted. “It serves to remind us that our reputation is built not just by what we do, but by how we do it.”
He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for extending his tenure, calling it a “renewed motivation and inspiration to do more in the service of the country.”
Delivering remarks on behalf of the NIPR, the Institute’s Vice President, Professor Emmanuel Dandaura – representing the President – commended the Nigeria Customs Service for taking a bold and practical step towards institutionalising reputation management.
“This is not a ceremonial gesture. It shows that Customs does not treat reputation as a buzzword but as a vital institutional asset,” Dandaura said.
He praised CGC Adeniyi for his commitment to institutional credibility, describing him as a “reform-minded leader with a stellar track record of discipline and dedication.”
According to Dandaura, a recent NIPR-conducted national perception survey showed that the Customs Service had earned high marks for performance and public engagement – a sign, he said, that the reforms are taking root and resonating with the public.
He further assured the NIPR’s ongoing partnership with the NCS in its effort to reshape institutional behaviour and contribute to the broader goal of improving Nigeria’s national image.
The unveiling of the Reputation Management Guide is seen as a significant step in the Customs Service’s modernisation drive – reinforcing its focus on transparency, ethics, and stakeholder confidence as the pillars of a reformed and forward-looking institution.