Customs Backs 2026 World Public Relations Forum, Highlights Strategic Communication in Reforms
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has pledged its support for the successful hosting of the 2026 World Public Relations Forum (WPRF), while stressing the importance of strategic communication in building public trust and securing stakeholder support for institutional reforms.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the commitment on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, when a delegation from the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) visited him at the Customs House in Maitama, Abuja.
The delegation was led by the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Professor Justin Green, and the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of NIPR, Ike Neliaku.
Adeniyi used the meeting to highlight some of the reforms being implemented by the Customs Service, including the B’Odogwu digitalisation initiative, the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) programme and the Advance Ruling mechanism.
According to him, the reforms are aimed at improving Customs processes, making international trade more predictable for legitimate businesses and strengthening engagement between the Service and its stakeholders.
He said effective communication had become an important component of the implementation of such reforms because stakeholders needed to understand both the objectives and expected benefits of changes introduced by public institutions.
“The Nigeria Customs Service recognised the importance of the World Public Relations Forum and its potential to bring global attention to responsible communication, institutional trust and effective public service.
“And, I want to assure you of the Service’s support for the forthcoming event and its commitment to contributing to its success,” Adeniyi said.
The Customs chief’s comments underscored the growing role of communication in public-sector reform, particularly in institutions whose policies and procedures directly affect businesses, government agencies and members of the public.
The B’Odogwu initiative, AEO programme and Advance Ruling are among measures being pursued by the NCS as part of efforts to modernise its operations and improve the trading environment.
The AEO programme, for instance, is designed to facilitate legitimate trade by providing recognised compliant traders with greater predictability and streamlined Customs procedures, while Advance Ruling enables traders to obtain Customs decisions on specified aspects of their transactions before goods are imported.
Green said the decision to host WPRF 2026 in Nigeria represented a significant development for the country and the public relations profession across Africa.
He said the forum would provide an international platform for Nigeria to showcase its cultural heritage, communication industry and innovative approaches to public relations.
According to him, the event would also facilitate knowledge-sharing, professional collaboration and discussions on the future direction of the global communication industry.
“We are expecting all the 126 member countries of the Global Alliance to grace this forum,” Green said.
The expected participation of members of the Global Alliance is expected to give the Abuja event an international dimension, bringing together public relations and communication professionals from different parts of the world.
Neliaku said the NIPR had commenced engagements with key institutions and stakeholders ahead of the forum, stressing that their participation and support would be important to the success of the international gathering.
He said the institute was seeking to make the Abuja edition a major showcase of Nigeria’s capacity to host a global professional event.
Neliaku described the institute’s ambition for the forum as delivering the “best, biggest, and brightest” World Public Relations Forum.
He said the WPRF would hold in Abuja from November 15 to 21, 2026, under the theme, “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World.”
The forum is expected to provide a platform for discussions around the changing role of public relations and strategic communication, particularly at a time when governments, businesses and institutions face increasing demands for transparency, credibility and effective stakeholder engagement.
For the Customs Service, participation in the event also provides an opportunity to draw attention to the communication dimension of its ongoing reforms and its efforts to deepen engagement with traders and other stakeholders.
The meeting between the Customs leadership and the WPRF delegation therefore brought together two related priorities: the modernisation of public institutions and the need to communicate such changes effectively to the public and the wider business community.
With the forum scheduled to attract participants from across the Global Alliance’s 126 member countries, its organisers are positioning the Abuja gathering as an opportunity to place Nigeria’s public relations profession and communication industry before a global audience.
