Nigeria Customs Wins Global Honour for Impactful PR at IPRA Gala in Ghana

…As President Mahama Charges PR Practitioners on Ethics and Professionalism

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has added another feather to its cap on the global stage, clinching the Golden World Award (GWA) for Impactful Public Relations in Customs Management at the 2025 International Public Relations Association (IPRA) Golden World Awards Gala, held on Friday, 3 October 2025, at the Mövenpick Hotel, Accra, Ghana.

The prestigious award, presented by IPRA President, Nataša Pavlović Bujas, recognised the Nigeria Customs Service for its outstanding communication strategies and innovative approach to institutional reputation management.

The winning entry, authored by Image Merchants Promotion Limited, documents the communication reforms championed by Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, and has since become a reference material for public relations scholarship in Nigeria.

According to Philip Sheppard, Secretary-General of IPRA, the publication demonstrates how public relations can serve as a tool for organisational transformation. “It offers practical strategies and real-world applications of PR leadership drawn from the reforms of the Nigeria Customs Service under CGC Adeniyi,” Sheppard noted.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Service, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer, expressed appreciation to IPRA for the recognition, describing it as a validation of the Service’s communication philosophy anchored on professionalism, transparency, and credibility.

“This award is a validation of the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to professionalism, transparency, and stakeholder engagement,” Maiwada said. “Under the leadership of the Comptroller-General, we have repositioned communication as a strategic tool for reform and trust-building.”

The recognition marks another milestone for the NCS, which in 2024 also won the Golden World Award for Crisis Communication at the IPRA Gala held in Belgrade, Serbia. This year’s award builds on that success, reaffirming the Service’s reputation as a leader in innovative communication and stakeholder relations within the public sector.

The Accra event formed part of the Public Relations Knowledge Sharing Conference, held from Wednesday, 1 to Friday, 3 October 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre.

Themed “Global Realities and Innovative Communication,” the conference brought together distinguished communication leaders and experts from across the continent and beyond.

Prominent figures in attendance included Dr Ike Neliaku, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); Nataša Pavlović Bujas, outgoing President of IPRA; Arik Karani, President of the African Public Relations Association (APRA); and Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, President of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana.

Discussions at the conference centred on emerging trends in global communication, digital transformation, and the role of ethical PR practice in shaping national and corporate reputations.

In a keynote address at the closing session of the conference, Ghana’s President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, emphasised the need for professionalism and integrity in public relations practice, noting that communicators play a pivotal role in national development.

“As communicators, you hold the power to shape narratives and influence public trust,” President Mahama said. “Our continent needs professionals who communicate with integrity, clarity, and purpose to support national development.”

Also speaking at the gala night, Ghana’s Vice President, H.E. Jane Nana, congratulated all the awardees for their exceptional contributions to advancing strategic communication globally, describing their works as “proof of the transformative power of effective storytelling and reputation management.”

The night ended on a historic note as Esther Amba Numaba Cobbah, outgoing President of IPR Ghana, was inaugurated as the new President of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) – the first African to lead the 70-year-old global body.

Her election, widely celebrated by attendees, was hailed as a milestone for the African continent and a testament to the region’s growing influence in the global communication landscape.

For the NCS, the latest recognition by IPRA not only reaffirms its commitment to institutional excellence but also positions it as a model for effective communication and governance reform across Africa.