The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) and digital intelligence tools to track fake news, counter misleading narratives, and curb online scams targeting the public.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, announced the initiative in a statement issued by the service’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, following the 2026 Nigerian Council of the Institute of Public Relations (NECCIPR) Roundtable in Abuja.
Speaking under the event theme ‘Algorithm Influence and Public Relations’, Adeniyi emphasized that digital technology has become essential to both strategic public communication and core Customs enforcement.
He explained that beyond monitoring online public sentiment and verifying information, AI-assisted risk management tools are actively used by the service to evaluate imported cargo, assign risk levels, and determine appropriate operational interventions at entry points.
Adeniyi added that the NCS is collaborating with relevant partner agencies through digital channels to trace, identify, and apprehend individuals creating and spreading fraudulent or deceptive online content damaging to the service’s reputation.
