NCS ‘Customs Cares’ Initiative: 10,000 Students Benefit as 50,000 Targeted
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, the Nigeria Customs Service is reaching out to 50,000 Nigerian students through ‘Customs Care’, aligning with President Tinubu’s Sustainable Development Goals, with 10,000 students already impacted.
Customs Comptroller-General, Bashir Adeniyi, revealed this during the unveiling of the renovated Christ Assembly Nursery and Primary School in Lagos on July 17, 2025.
According to the CG, the Service’s 2025 CSR target is to reach 50,000 students with school supplies and uniforms. To date, 10,000 students have benefited, with 3,000 of them based in Lagos.
”Today, we are going to reach out to 2,000 school pupils and we have all of these learning aids, which we are going to give to them in terms of reaching out to Nigerians,” he stated.
The CGC, also WCO Council Chair, disclosed plans to reach 10 million Nigerians via intervention programs, utilizing creative economy and healthcare pillars to drive impact. He said, “It is our belief that what we are doing is in line with the mandate of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) obligation. With our corporate social responsibility obligation, let me make it very very clear that we are not in any form of competition with any government agency so we are not going to see ourselves as the first or the only agency that will do it.
“Rather, what we are doing is to recognise the fact that all our communities where we serve have remained a strong pillar of support for us and in reciprocating this support, we are going to be discharging these obligations under our CSR, we will be discussing with other agencies of government, other civil society organisations, and other international agencies to see the possibility of partnering with them so that we can leverage on better access to resources”.
The CGC also noted that apart from education programme under this initiative, the Service has extended its CSR programe to five other pillars to support the President’s SDG priorities.
”We are having interventions in health care, we are supporting the creative industries, we are going to be providing good water access to less privileged Nigerians, and we are going to support information technology, ICT and sport development,” he stated.
Speaking on the newly renovated structure and back-to school materials, which ignited renewed hope to the pupils and management of Christ Assembly Nursery and Primary school, other members of the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government, the Customs Chief emphasised that the initiative aims to give back to the community for fully supporting the Service in the discharge of their duties.
“We are happy that our intervention has provided a better learning environment for all our students but more importantly we are happy that our intervention has really ignited a renewed hope that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our children can learn under a good environment and they can aspire to be the very best that they can in their career.
“What we are doing is to recognise the fact that all our communities where we serve have remained a strong pillar of support for us and in reciprocating this support we are going to be discharging the obligations on our Corporate Social Responsibility programme, we will be discussing with other agencies of government, other civil society organisations and other international agencies to see the possibility of partnering with them, so that we can leverage on better access to resources,” he stated.
The CGC further Commended Customs Area Controller Frank Onyeka and his team for the intervention programme. He also lauded the TinCan Island stakeholders for their support in bringing the initiative to fruition.
In his closing remarks, the Customs Area Controller of TinCan Island Port Command, TCIPC, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, the Chief host of the event and also the engine behind the renewed structure, appreciated the large turnout of guests, particularly the leadership of the school management board for their cooperation and patience during the renovation process.
“Your tireless efforts in keeping the institution running under such difficult circumstances did not go unnoticed. This intervention is a reinforcement of your vision and labour,” he said. “To the dedicated teachers and staff, you are heroes in every sense of the word. In spite of those conditions, you continued to teach, to mentor and to inspire. You deserve our deepest gratitude. And to the pupils, I say this: The new classrooms, books, computers, and learning spaces you see today are not just gifts, they are tools to help you dream big, learn with passion, and build a brighter future for yourselves, your families, and our nation. To our Customs officers and men who worked tirelessly on this project, thank you for demonstrating that we are indeed public servants committed to national transformation”.
The Area Controller also commended the Comptroller General of Customs, for adding life to the initiative.
“Let me also thank some of our esteemed partners for their immersed contributions towards this lofty project. Worthy of mention are the Ndigbo Amaka Progressive Markets Association, Bashorun Alao Talabi and others too numerous to mention. I reiterated my heartfelt thank you to the Comptroller General of Customs for giving life to the Customs Cares initiative. Through efforts like this, we are not only protecting borders, we are protecting futures,” he said.
Comptroller Frank stressed that the initiative is not just a renovation but a transformation. “A transformation that signifies our collective commitment to giving every Nigerian child a fair chance regardless of their background,” he stated stressing that the Service core function extends beyond revenue generation and securing borders, to uplifting the communities where the Service operate, especially in areas including education and health care, which remains the bedrock of sustainable national progress.
In a related development, Deputy Comptroller VK Bishen from the medical unit of the Service, revealed that a total of 153 individuals were screened during the programme, out of which 30 were found to be hypertensive and 1 diabetic.
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