The communication gap between government trade policies and public understanding, which fuels misconceptions about food prices and the role of customs enforcement in Nigeria’s food security, took centre stage at the just concluded NIPR webinar.

Folusho Adeogun, public relations officer, Nigeria Customs Service at the third pre-conference webinar for Nigeria Public Relations Week (NIPRW) 2026 that misconceptions about customs operations have hindered public appreciation of the service’s role in ensuring food availability, safety and affordability.

“Food security is not only run on the farm. It is protected at the border. It is protected with the communication measures that have been put out there,” Adeogun said during the virtual session themed “Political Economy of Food: Communicating Trade, Tariffs and Market Realities.”

Bridging the Policy-Public Perception Gap

Adeogun emphasized that inadequate communication of trade policies creates room for misinformation and reduces public acceptance of necessary government interventions in the food sector.

“There is a gap between policy, trade policy, and public understanding. If we, as government agencies, do not adequately communicate the policy of government to average Nigerians, there might be a kind of rejection, a kind of low acceptability from Nigerians,” he explained.

He argued that without proper communication, market perception would be shaped by rumors rather than informed policy. “If we do not communicate these trade realities properly, the market will be shaped by rules instead of policy.”

Facilitation Tools Supporting Food Availability

Adeogun outlined several mechanisms introduced under Comptroller General Bashiru Adewale Adeniyi aimed at reducing the time and cost of legitimate food imports.

He highlighted the Authorized Economic Operator scheme, which rewards compliant importers with expedited clearance. “There are trusted importers that can come in, and their goods will be cleared within 48 hours. If, for instance, you are importing rice, maybe spaghetti or something which is edible, and within 48 hours your goods are cleared in port, that is good facilitation.”

Adeogun explained that faster clearance reduces costs for consumers. “You are not paying for demurrage, you are not paying additional costs, and you are not putting unnecessary charges on your final consumer.”

Protecting Local Agriculture and Public Health

Adeogun stressed that customs enforcement protects both local agricultural producers and public health by preventing unsafe food imports and smuggling.

“We prevent unsafe food importation. There are a whole lot of times where people bring in turkeys, butchered food products that are expired, some are not even eatable, some have been embalmed. They are just trying to repackage them,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to understand the health risks of cheaper smuggled items. “Inasmuch as these things look very cheap, they are very dangerous to your health, and you should not, at the detriment of a lesser price, take something that will now upshot your life.”

On supporting local agriculture, Adeogun noted that rice production in Nigeria has been gradually increasing. “In the last six years or so, rice production in Nigeria is gradually increasing. And if we continue in this dimension of growth, in the next 10 to 15 years, it is very possible that we do not even need to import rice into this country.”

However, he warned that smuggling undermines this progress. “If we do not control that narrative and protect the local manufacturers, and we still allow smuggling of rice into this country, then we will never be there. This is why we need to be very deliberate, practical and proactive in our communication measures.”

Dispelling misconceptions about food prices

Addressing widespread public criticism, Adeogun directly confronted the perception that Nigeria Customs Service contributes to high food prices.

“A whole lot of rumors out there is that Nigeria Customs Service is one of the reasons why food is expensive. However, it is far from the truth. What we do is implement government policies and ensure that smuggling is reduced to the bare minimum,” he stated.

He emphasized that customs enforcement aims to create an ecosystem where local manufacturers and compliant traders can thrive. “You want to create a kind of ecosystem where our local manufacturers will survive, where our farmers will survive, where traders who are doing the right thing are rewarded based on their compliance.”

Call to communication professionals

Concluding his presentation, Adeogun challenged public relations professionals to help Nigerians understand trade policies and their implications for food security.

“It is very important that we, as communicators, try as much as possible to understand government policies. We digest it, we know the pros and cons, and we try as much as possible to communicate it to the appropriate audience, so that nobody will be misinformed,” he said.

He emphasized that effective communication of border activities determines food availability, safety and affordability. “Once we do communicate what happens at the border, it does not only determine the revenue, but it determines the food availability, safety, and most importantly, it makes it more affordable for Nigerians.”