CG Adeniyi to receive IPRA award as Nigerian agencies make 2026 GWA finals

Comptroller‑General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, will receive the Special Recognition Award of the International Public Relations Association (IPRA) at the 2026 Golden World Awards (GWA) to be held in Athens, Greece.

Three institutions—the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC)—were also selected as finalists for exceptional public relations campaigns.

The initiatives were executed in partnership with Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), publishers of PRNigeria and Spokespersons Digest. Similarly, a Lagos-based agency, LSF PR, has been shortlisted for different categories of the awards.

IPRA Secretary‑General Philip Sheppard lauded Adeniyi for “outstanding contributions to public relations practice in Nigeria, his leadership in institutional communication, and commitment to promoting professional excellence within the Nigeria Customs Service.”

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Sheppard noted that the recognition reflects the remarkable achievements of the NCS under Adeniyi, including multiple Golden World Awards in acknowledgment of strategies rooted in transparency, stakeholder engagement, and effective public communication.

IPRA further commended the Customs chief for strengthening public trust, advancing crisis communication systems and promoting international best practices—efforts it said have significantly enhanced Nigeria’s reputation within the international community.

“We look forward to welcoming you to Athens as we celebrate your achievements and your outstanding service to the communication profession,” Sheppard wrote in a notification dated July 31, 2026.

The award ceremony and presentation are scheduled for September 25 at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, where professionals from around the world will gather to celebrate excellence in public relations and strategic communication.

The Nigeria Customs has earned several international honours under Adeniyi’s leadership, winning a GWA in Belgrade (2024) and Ghana (2025). The CG received the Certificate of Excellence for CEO of the Year at SABRE Africa 2026 in South Africa.

Founded on May 1, 1955, in London, IPRA is the oldest association for PR professionals. It introduced the Golden World Awards in 1990 as an annual competition to honour distinction in public relations practice across diverse categories.