A Humanized Look at How Nigeria Customs Is Fighting Back Against Fake News
In an age where a single misleading post can spread faster than the truth, the Nigeria Customs Service has decided to fight fire with fire. At a recent gathering of communication professionals in Lagos—the Neccipr Roundtable ’26, themed “Algorithm Influence & Public Relations”—the Service revealed that it is now using advanced digital intelligence to track, counter, and neutralize the fake news and online scams that have been damaging its reputation. The news was shared by Abdullahi Maiwada, the National Public Relations Officer, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi. But behind the official announcement lies a deeply human story: the struggle to be believed, understood, and trusted in a digital world where lies often travel quicker than facts.
The problem is not abstract. For the men and women of the Nigeria Customs Service, fake news is not just a nuisance—it is a direct attack on their integrity and safety. Every day, officers carry out essential duties at borders, ports, and checkpoints, making decisions that affect trade, security, and the national economy. Yet, when false stories circulate online—perhaps claiming corruption where none exists, or spreading manipulated images and invented scandals—public trust begins to crumble. Maiwada spoke to this challenge with clarity, explaining that as communicators, the Service must ensure that Nigerians understand why officers do what they do. It is about more than defending an institution; it is about protecting the dignity of hardworking people who serve their country, often under difficult conditions, and who deserve to have their stories told truthfully.
This is where artificial intelligence enters the picture, not as a cold, impersonal machine, but as a tool for justice and clarity. The Customs Service has been using AI in its core operations for some time now, and the technology has quietly become a powerful ally in everyday tasks. For example, AI helps with risk management by analyzing imported goods and placing them into categories based on their level of risk, so that customs officers know exactly where to focus their attention. This means faster clearance for lawful traders and tighter scrutiny for suspicious shipments. But AI is not only about cargo and containers—it also helps the Service understand what people are saying and feeling. By analyzing sentiment across social media and news platforms, Customs can sense when public perception is being manipulated by false narratives, and then step in with accurate information to restore balance.
What makes this initiative particularly inspiring is the willingness to listen. By using AI to gauge public perception, the Nigeria Customs Service is essentially opening its ears to the nation. It is saying: we want to know how you see us, even when your view is shaped by misinformation. And beyond listening, the Service is taking action. Maiwada stressed that Customs is working with other agencies to track down and arrest those who deliberately spread misleading information. This is a bold move, and it signals that the fight against fake news is not passive. It is an active, coordinated effort involving technology, public communication, and law enforcement. The goal is not to silence criticism—healthy criticism helps any institution grow—but to hold accountable those who profit from deception and seek to destabilize public confidence in essential government services.
The roundtable itself was a reminder that this battle cannot be won by one institution alone. The convener, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, opened the event with a powerful message: public relations professionals must do more than manage messages—they must lead national discourse. She asked a question that lingers in the mind long after the event ends: “When machines decide what we see, who is really shaping the Nigerian mind?” It is a deeply human concern. We live in a world where algorithms curate our news, amplify our fears, and sometimes decide what we believe before we even have a chance to think. The rise of AI has brought incredible possibilities, but it has also created new opportunities for those who wish to manipulate public opinion, spread conspiracy theories, and dictate what millions of people read and share. In this environment, the role of communicators—and institutions like Customs—becomes profoundly ethical.
The presence of prominent personalities such as Ike Neliaku, President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and former Education Minister Obiageli Ezekwesili, showed that credible communication is a national priority. Their participation signaled a collective commitment to sustaining high standards of truth and professionalism in public discourse. In the end, the story of Nigeria Customs and AI is not just about technology—it is about human trust, wounded by deceit, and slowly rebuilt through transparency, innovation, and courage. The Service is showing that even in the digital age, the most powerful tool is still honesty, and the strongest algorithm is one that serves the people rather than manipulates them. As Nigeria moves forward, the challenge will be to ensure that machines help us see more clearly, not less, and that behind every official statement, there remains a human voice seeking understanding.