Customs Honours Outstanding Officers, Rewards Excellence at PR Conference Awards Night
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has honoured outstanding officers and personnel for their exceptional service, professionalism and dedication during the Award Dinner Night held as part of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The event, held on Thursday, 23 July 2026, brought together senior Customs officers, communication experts, media executives and development partners to celebrate excellence, recognise outstanding contributions and encourage a culture of professionalism across the Service.
A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, in recognition of his significant contributions to public relations, strategic communication and institutional reforms within the Nigeria Customs Service.
Speaking during the ceremony, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said the awards were instituted to acknowledge officers whose commitment, professionalism and innovation had distinguished them in the discharge of their duties.
According to him, recognising excellence remains one of the most effective ways of motivating officers to improve their performance and remain committed to the ideals of the Service.
“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, commended the leadership of the Comptroller-General for promoting professionalism and strengthening capacity building within the Public Relations Unit.
He noted that recognising exceptional performance encourages others to aspire to higher standards, adding that the Nigeria Customs Service had demonstrated that strategic communication plays a vital role in achieving institutional success and building public confidence.
“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,” Neliaku stated.
Also speaking, the President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhassan Yahaya, described the awards initiative as a worthwhile investment in human capital.
He said organisations that reward hard work and professionalism lay the foundation for sustainable growth and urged the recipients to remain committed to ethical conduct, transparency and service to the nation.
Among the recipients of the Distinguished Service Award in Public Relations were Superintendent of Customs Elizabeth Anawanti and Superintendent of Customs Umar Abdullahi for their outstanding contributions to the profession.
Chief Superintendent of Customs Nuruddeen Sa’idu and Yusuf were honoured with the Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Unit, in recognition of their efforts towards strengthening the Service’s communication architecture.
The prestigious Alex Akiyenyele Award for Outstanding Public Relations Officer of the Year was presented to Chief Superintendent of Customs Lukman Abdullahi-Lagos for his exemplary performance and professionalism in public relations practice.
The ceremony also celebrated officers in other categories, with Abdulkarim Zurmi and Lucy Nyambi emerging as the Best NCBN Staff Attached to the Public Relations Unit for their dedication and exceptional support to the activities of the department.
In addition, the event featured the presentation of the Best Dressed Male and Female Officers Awards, adding colour and glamour to the evening’s celebration.
The award dinner marked the climax of the 2026 Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Conference, reinforcing the Service’s commitment to recognising excellence, promoting professionalism and strengthening strategic communication as a critical pillar of institutional development.
