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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja and Steve Agbota
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified efforts to combat illicit financial flows, money laundering, terrorism financing, online scams and fake news through stronger collaboration with security agencies and the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered intelligence tools.
The Service said the measures were aimed at strengthening border security, tracking suspicious financial transactions, tackling cross-border criminal activities and protecting its public image against the growing spread of misleading information online. As part of the initiative, the NCS held a three-day engagement with six federal agencies from October 27 to 29, 2026, to strengthen intelligence sharing and improve coordination in the fight against economic and security threats.
The engagement, led by the Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of headquarters, Muhammad Shuaibu, involved the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the National Counter-Terrorism Centre under the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Shuaibu said the initiative was designed to improve the ability of relevant agencies to identify and disrupt illegal financial activities across Nigeria’s borders.
“The sole objective of this mission is to effectively detect and disrupt cross-border illicit financial flows,” he said.
He explained that the engagements would also involve visits to selected border stations to assess the effectiveness of existing customs controls and strengthen cooperation among agencies operating in the country’s border communities.
The Chief Executive Officer of the NFIU, represented by Muhammed-Mustapha, Chief Operating Officer, Intelligence Security Service Sector, commended Customs for its efforts in combating smuggling and strengthening border security.
He recalled the longstanding working relationship between the two institutions, noting that Customs played an important role in the establishment and early operations of the financial intelligence agency.
“When NFIU was created, NCS was the first to collaborate with us,” he said.
He added: “No particular agency understands things better than how Customs does globally.”
The engagements also featured a World Customs Organisation (WCO) Mentoring Team, led by Shahiduzzaman Sarkar, which trained participants on approaches to Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT).
The team called for stronger cooperation with Customs to ensure the success of the initiative.
Participants, however, identified communication gaps, bureaucratic delays and concerns over database privacy as some of the challenges limiting effective cooperation among government agencies.
They discussed possible solutions, including improved information sharing, better communication channels and stronger institutional relationships.
The three-day engagements ended with the presentation of NCS awards and WCO certificates to participating agencies in recognition of their contributions to the fight against threats to the economy and national security.
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Beyond its efforts to tackle financial crimes and cross-border illegal activities, Customs is also turning to artificial intelligence and digital intelligence tools to address the growing challenges of online scams, fake news and misleading reports capable of damaging the Service’s reputation.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this at the recently concluded Neccipr Roundtable ‘26 in Lagos, with the theme, Algorithm Influence and Public Relations.
Represented by the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Abdullahi Maiwada, Adeniyi said Customs was integrating modern digital tools into its operations and communication strategies to improve its ability to detect risks, monitor public opinion and respond to false information.
Maiwada said artificial intelligence had become an important tool in the Service’s operations, particularly in identifying risks associated with imported goods and determining the appropriate level of inspection and intervention.
“The role of AI cannot be over emphasized especially within our operations. Over the years AI has been deployed in our core operational duties as well as strategic communication. AI has also been deployed to aid risk management, which involves assessment of the risks in imported items so that they can be categorised according to their different levels of risk to enable appropriate customs interventions,” he said.
He explained that AI-powered tools could also help the Service understand public reactions to its activities by analysing opinions and sentiments expressed across digital platforms.
According to him, Customs is making use of available communication platforms to establish facts, correct misleading narratives and work with relevant agencies to identify and apprehend those responsible for spreading false information.
He stressed that effective communication remained important to ensuring that Nigerians understood and appreciated the responsibilities of Customs officers, particularly when carrying out enforcement operations.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the influence of social media algorithms and artificial intelligence on the information Nigerians consume, as false reports, online fraud and manipulated narratives increasingly compete with credible information.
Earlier, the convener of the Neccipr Roundtable ‘26, Nkechi Ali-Balogun, said the programme was established on the belief that public relations professionals should go beyond managing corporate messages to playing a leading role in shaping national conversations.
She said the growing influence of artificial intelligence had raised serious questions about who controls the information Nigerians receive and how such information shapes public opinion.
“This year, we confront a question that touches every one of us. When machines decide what we see, who is really shaping the Nigerian mind? Who now controls the flow of information that shapes what Nigerians believe? We live in a rapidly changing world, powered by AI, where a single algorithm can shape political narratives, throw out conspiracy theories, and dictate what millions read, believe, and share,” she said.
The roundtable also featured keynote addresses by the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ike Neliaku, and former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, among other dignitaries.
The discussions highlighted the growing responsibility of communication professionals and public institutions to promote credible information and protect the public from the dangers of misinformation in an increasingly technology-driven society.
For Customs, the twin strategies of stronger inter-agency cooperation and the use of AI-powered intelligence tools are expected to strengthen its response to financial crimes, improve border enforcement and help counter the spread of false information capable of undermining public confidence in the Service.
