Nigeria Customs Deepens Integrity Drive as Reputation Campaign Expands to Zone ‘C’
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its drive to strengthen institutional integrity and rebuild public trust by extending its Reputation Management Campaign to Zone ‘C’, Port Harcourt.
The campaign, which took place on Friday, 15 August 2025, at the Zone ‘C’ Headquarters auditorium, convened officers from commands across the zone for a specialised train-the-trainer workshop.
The initiative is designed to equip selected officers with practical skills to embed professionalism, accountability, and transparency within their respective commands.
Delivering the keynote address, Comptroller Chika Dim of the Eastern Marine Command commended the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for championing an initiative that connects institutional reputation with quality service delivery.
“Officers today are fortunate to serve under a forward-looking leadership,” he said. “But true success will only come from the deliberate effort we invest in protecting and managing the Service’s reputation. The Reputation Management Guide must not be seen as a document to shelve but as a compass for daily decision-making, a tool to reshape our relationship with the public and rebuild trust.”
Earlier in his address, the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller (AC) Abdullahi Maiwada, stressed that reputation remains one of the Service’s most valuable yet intangible assets. He underscored that sustaining it requires deliberate action.
“Reputation is not given; it is earned through transparency, accountability, and effective communication,” he remarked. “Every officer’s conduct contributes to how the Nigeria Customs Service is perceived by the public and stakeholders.”
In her closing remarks, Comptroller Teressa Ezenwa expressed appreciation to both the facilitators and participants, noting that the campaign was not merely about acquiring knowledge but about embedding values into the Service’s culture.
“Reputation is not built in a day,” she observed. “It requires consistency, professionalism, patience, and respect for the values our Service stands for. This campaign reminds us that we must be intentional in how we conduct ourselves and how we serve the public.”
The workshop also featured interactive breakout sessions where officers engaged with real-life scenarios, applying the principles of the Reputation Management Guide to everyday operational challenges.
As participants dispersed, the event marked Zone ‘C’ as the latest in a growing number of Customs formations to align with the Service’s renewed focus on institutional reputation – a deliberate cultural shift that NCS leadership believes will reshape its image both within Nigeria and across the global customs community.
