The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has made a daring step to institutionalise ethics, professionalism, and stakeholder confidence by formally launching its Reputation Management Guide, a strategic policy framework intended to reorient officers on the standards, values, and conduct required to uphold and enhance the Service’s reputation.
The Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, presided over the unveiling ceremony, which was held on Tuesday, August 5 at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja. Public relations professionals, senior officers, management representatives, and communication specialists were among the important stakeholders who attended the event.
In a statement posted on the Service’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the CGC described the guide as a landmark in the NCS’s transformation agenda and a vital tool for building trust, enhancing transparency, and aligning with modern customs administration standards.
“We want to launch a new phase of Customs. We want to go beyond our traditional mandate. This guide is an opportunity for every Customs officer to be part of a project that rewrites the history of our Service,” CGC Adeniyi declared.
Adeniyi, a seasoned public relations expert and advocate of institutional branding, said the guide was developed to instill integrity, professionalism, and service excellence, both internally and in public-facing engagements.
Highlighting recent milestones, the CGC noted that Customs had consistently outperformed revenue targets — with a 70% increase in 2023 and a 92% rise in 2024 — while also strengthening border enforcement, trade facilitation, and national security.
“Beyond these numbers, what gladdens me most is that the world is taking note of the impact our initiatives are making,” he said.
Adeniyi stressed that Customs officers must see themselves not only as enforcers of the law but as credible ambassadors of a responsive and responsible government institution.
“The World Customs Organisation (WCO) expects Customs administrations to champion transparency, inclusivity, and ethical leadership,” he said. “Our response to this is the deliberate rollout of internal initiatives like the Reputation Guide and our Corporate Social Responsibility programmes.”
The CGC also reaffirmed the NCS’s dedication to inclusive governance and gender equity, citing ongoing efforts to empower women and promote equitable leadership. He added that the Service’s community-focused investments in education, healthcare, water access, and the creative economy are aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This guide is not just a document but a call to action. It reminds every officer that our image is built not only by what we do but also by how we do it,” Adeniyi emphasised.
In closing, CGC Adeniyi extended gratitude to President Tinubu for extending his tenure, calling it a “renewed motivation and inspiration to do more in the service of the country.”
The launch of the Reputation Management Guide marks a significant step in reshaping the institutional culture of the Nigeria Customs Service and signals a clear commitment to public accountability and global standards.
Credit: @CustomsNG via x.com
Leave a Reply