By Our Reporter
Abdullahi Maiwada, an Assistant Comptroller and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, spokesperson, appears to have taken advantage of the African Public Relations Association, APRA, 26th annual Conference in Kenya, home of President Wilian Ruto, an ally of President Emmanuel Macron, of France, to advocate for a data -driven PR, in the Continent.
Ac. Waida, may have succeeded in pushing for Nigeria to receive the next hosting right of APRA, Conference in 2026, as he was said to have demonstrated the country’s Leadership in public communication and institutional branding as it joined public relations professionals across the African Continent to commemorate the 50th anniversary of APRA, held in Mombasa, Kenya, from June 09 to June 13, 2025.
The theme of This year’s APRA, annual Conference, according to the NCS, spokesperson, is centered around ‘’Transforming African through Safe and Responsible Digital Communication’’ and was said to have attracted over 500 Public Relations Practitioners within the 54 African countries and outside the Continent including communication scholars, corporate leaders and government representatives.
Given the importance attached to the APRA event, some attendees from other parts of the world were said to have participated in the event to share their experience in public relations practice in their respective countries and further reflect on the revolution of public relations across the world to chart a sustainable path for the next 50 years.
presented an insightful paper at APRA 26th , annual Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, amidst applause
Putting on the garb of a Communication expert, AC. Maiwada, who had represented Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC, at the Keyan APRA event, was said to have made an insightful presentation ‘’Leveraging Data Analytics for Effective Public Relations Practice in NCS’’.
According to a participant at the Mombasa, Kenya, APRA, event, AC. Maiwada, who had given a run down how public institutions like the NCS, can harness data to build public trust, enhance transparency and communicate reforms with precision’’, had said that ‘’public relations practice has moved from the era of assumptions to a profession guided by evidence’’.
He noted that at the NCS, from the Commands, Zonal to the Headquarters in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, level, the PR, practitioners have been properly trained on how ‘’to apply data analytics not just to shape narratives, but to measure impact, evaluate stakeholder perception and make informed communication decisions’’.
He asserted that under the visionary leadership of CGC. Adeniyi, the service has embraced a proactive communication model that aligns with global digital engagement and reputation management standards. He did not stop there.
The NCS. Spokesperson, was said to have further highlighted the integration of real-time feedback mechanisms, sentiment analysis, and media intelligence tools as part of Customs’ strategic public relations architecture.
He was emphatic that the future of the public sector communication, both in Nigeria and other parts of the world lies in the practitioners’ ability to listen, adapt and engage purposefully. ‘’As stakeholders of public trust, we cannot afford to be reactive’’, stressing that ‘’we must lead with clarity, backed by verifiable data’’.
The Keyan ARA, Conference, was said to have also provided a platform for NCS, to showcase its prepared ness to host the APRA, 2026, Conference. Mohammed Idris, minister of Information and National Orientation, who was said to have been represent Mallam Lanre Oilu, Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, who led the Nigerian delegation to the Conference, was said to have reaffirmed Nigeria’s preparedness to deliver a world-class summit in 2026, to the applause of the participants.
The NOA, helmsman may have spoken the mind of the minister, when he declared that the 2026, APRA, Conference, to be hosted by Nigeria, is ‘’a historic opportunity not just to elaborate excellence but to deepen the country’s resolve to use communication as a force good across the African Continent’’.
Esther Cobbah, President -elect of the International Public Relations Association, IPRA, in her goodwill message, was said to have urged PR practitioners, ‘’to use communication to unify Africa’s voice and advance the values of credibility, equity and development’’.
Ike Neliaku, President of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, who was said to have led one of the sessions at the Mombasa, APRA, Conference, in his paper, titled, ‘’ ‘’Navigating Good Governance and Development in Africa through Responsible Digital Communication ‘’, he was said to have called on African PR, professionals , both in the public and private sectors, ‘’to treat reputation and trust as their most valuable currencies in this digital age’’.
He was said to have also urged governments, both within and outside the African Continents ‘to invest more in strategic communication infrastructure’’. Many believes that the NCS’ participation in APRA at 50, ‘’ underscores the agency unwavering commitment to excellence in public engagement’’.
They noted that ‘’it also reflects the CGC’s broader agenda of transforming the service into a transparent, reform driven and people oriented-agency’’. As the countdown to APRA 2026 Conference begins, the NCS, AC.Maiwada, had said remains ‘’posed to contribute meaningfully to shaping Africa’s future communication agenda grounded in innovation, integrity, and data-backed storytelling’’.
