Custom Boss, Adeniyi Wins Lifetime Achievement Award

…As Sulaiman, Sai’du, Anawanti, Abdullahi-Lagos Receive Commendation

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi PhD, has been honoured with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to strategic communication, public relations and institutional reforms within the Service.

The award was presented on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at the colourful Award Dinner Night held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as part of activities marking the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference.

The recognition capped an evening dedicated to celebrating officers and personnel whose professionalism, dedication, innovation and commitment to duty have continued to enhance the image and reputation of the nation’s premier trade facilitation and revenue-generating agency.

The ceremony attracted senior Customs officers, communication professionals, media executives, development partners and other stakeholders, who gathered to acknowledge outstanding performances and encourage a stronger culture of excellence within the Service.

Adeniyi’s Lifetime Achievement Award was particularly significant, coming against the backdrop of his administration’s emphasis on professional communication, capacity development and institutional reforms aimed at repositioning the Customs Service for improved public engagement and operational efficiency.

Presenting the awards, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said the initiative was designed to celebrate officers whose commitment and professionalism had distinguished them in the discharge of their responsibilities.

According to him, recognition of excellence remained a powerful tool for motivating personnel and reinforcing the values required to build a stronger institution.

“Recognising excellence is one of the most effective ways of motivating officers to do more. Tonight, we celebrate commitment, hard work and the values that continue to strengthen the image and reputation of the Nigeria Customs Service,” Maiwada said.

The President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, also commended the Customs leadership for institutionalising professionalism and capacity building within its Public Relations Unit.

Neliaku noted that effective communication had become indispensable to institutional success, particularly for an agency whose activities directly affect businesses, importers, exporters and the wider Nigerian public.

“When excellence is recognised, it inspires others to strive for higher standards. The Nigeria Customs Service has demonstrated that strategic communication remains central to institutional success and public confidence,” he said.

The President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya, described the awards as a worthy investment in human capital, stressing that organisations that celebrate hard work and professionalism were better positioned to achieve sustainable growth.

He urged the award recipients to sustain their commitment to ethical conduct, transparency and national service. Among other distinguished recipients were Superintendent of Customs Elizabeth Anawanti and Superintendent of Customs Umar Abdullahi, who received the Distinguished Service Award in Public Relations for their contributions to the Service’s communication efforts.

Also in the winners category is the Apapa Area Command Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Customs Isah Sulaiman who was honoured with the Best Award in Stakeholder Collaboration and Engagement, in addition to a Certificate of Excellence as Runner-up in the Revenue Awareness Campaign category.

Similarly, Chief Superintendent of Customs Nuruddeen Sai’du was recognised with the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Unit.

Another major highlight was the presentation of the Alex Akiyenyele Award for Outstanding PRO of the Year, which went to Chief Superintendent of Customs Lukman Abdullahi-Lagos in recognition of his performance and contribution to Customs public relations.

The ceremony also celebrated personal presentation and professionalism, with awards presented to the Best Dressed Male and Female Officers. In the category of non-Customs personnel supporting the communication machinery of the Service, Abdulkarim Zurmi and Lucy Nyambi were recognised as the Best NCBN Staff Attached to the Public Relations Unit, in appreciation of their dedication and outstanding support for the Unit’s activities.

Beyond the glamour of the award night, the ceremony provided a powerful reminder that the transformation of an institution is not driven solely by policies, technology or infrastructure, but also by the people who communicate its mission and uphold its values.

For the Nigeria Customs Service, the recognition of Adeniyi and other high-performing personnel therefore represents more than an evening of accolades. It is a reaffirmation that professionalism, strategic communication, innovation and commitment to national service remain critical ingredients in building public confidence and strengthening the Service’s role in Nigeria’s economic development.

The Port Harcourt ceremony consequently ended not merely as a celebration of individual achievements, but as a renewed call for Customs personnel to raise the bar of performance, integrity and professionalism in the service of the nation.