The Nigeria Customs Service has stepped up efforts to combat fake news, online scams and misleading information, deploying artificial intelligence (AI) and digital intelligence tools to track false narratives and protect its public image. The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed the initiative through the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Deputy Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, at a roundtable in Lagos last Friday.
Speaking at the event, themed “Algorithm Influence & Public Relations”, Maiwada said the NCS was integrating AI into its operational and strategic communication activities to improve risk assessment, monitor public sentiment and strengthen efforts to counter misinformation.
He stressed that effective communication was essential to ensuring that Nigerians understood and accepted the actions of Customs officers in the discharge of their duties. “The role of AI cannot be over emphasised, especially within our operations. Over the years, AI has been deployed in our core operational duties as well as strategic communication,” he said.
Maiwada explained that the technology was already being used to assess risks associated with imported goods, enabling the service to classify consignments according to their risk levels and determine appropriate customs interventions. He added that AI could also help the service analyse public sentiment and gauge how Nigerians perceive its activities, providing insights to improve communication and public engagement.