Customs Cares: NCS Takes CSR to the Global Spotlight
For an institution traditionally associated with borders, tariffs, seizures and revenue collection, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is increasingly presenting another face to the Nigerian public — one defined by social responsibility and community development.
That narrative received a significant international boost on Friday, 31 July 2026, when Customs Cares, the Service’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, won the Commonwealth Environment and CSR Gold Award in Glasgow, Scotland.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection was Timi Bomodi. He described the honour as a significant milestone in the Nigeria Customs Service’s ongoing transformation.
He said the recognition was both encouraging and humbling, noting that public institutions derive their greatest value not only from carrying out their statutory responsibilities but also from making a meaningful difference in the lives of citizens and strengthening the communities they serve.
Adeniyi acknowledged the recognition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that Customs Cares has impacted more than 10 million Nigerians across 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory through school renovations, healthcare interventions, clean-water projects, food assistance and the Green Borders Initiative.
He stressed that beyond the classrooms renovated, boreholes provided and trees planted, the programme’s most lasting achievement was the trust built between the Service and the communities it serves.
The Governor of Tharaka Nithi County in Kenya, Muthomi Njuki, also addressed the importance of collective action and collaboration in tackling climate change. He noted that no nation could address the challenge alone, urging greater accountability, innovation, partnerships and shared responsibility to build a greener, safer and more prosperous world.
The Comptroller in charge of CSR, Mbwiduffu Ibrahim, said the international recognition would motivate the Service to intensify its community-focused initiatives. She noted that while the impact of the programme had long been considered its own reward, the award had now provided confirmation that the efforts were making a meaningful difference.
The organisers attributed the award to the NCS’s innovative Hub-and-Spoke Community Activation Model, noting that the recognition further strengthens the Service’s image as a modern Customs administration focused on revenue generation, trade facilitation, border security and sustainable development.
