Customs Honours Outstanding Officers, Rewards Excellence at PR Conference Award Night

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Thursday, 23 July 2026, honoured outstanding officers and personnel for excellence, dedication and professionalism during the Award Dinner Night as part of the just concluded 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to public relations, strategic communication and institutional reforms.

The award night brought together senior Customs officers, communication experts, media executives and development partners to recognise excellence, inspire greater commitment and promote a culture of professionalism across the Service.

Presenting the awards, the National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said the ceremony was designed to celebrate officers whose dedication, professionalism and innovation have distinguished them in the discharge of their responsibilities, stressing that, “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.”

The President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, commended the Comptroller-General’s leadership in institutionalising professionalism and capacity building within the Public Relations Unit, noting that, “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.”

Also speaking, the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya, described the initiative as a worthy investment in human capital, adding that, “Any organisation that rewards hard work and professionalism is laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth. We encourage the award recipients to remain committed to ethical conduct, transparency and national service.”

Other major honours presented during the ceremony included the Distinguished Service Award in Public Relations, conferred on Superintendent of Customs Elizabeth Anawanti and Superintendent of Customs Umar Abdullahi. At the same time, Chief Superintendent of Customs Nuruddeen Sa’idu and Yusuf received the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Unit. Chief Superintendent of Customs Lukman Abdullahi-Lagos won the Alex Akiyenyele Award for the outstanding PRO of the year.

The ceremony also featured the presentation of the Best Dressed Male and Female Officers Awards. At the same time, Abdulkarim Zurmi and Lucy Nyambi were recognised as the Best NCBN Staff Attached to the Public Relations Unit for their dedication and outstanding support to the Unit’s activities.