Customs Marks One Year of ‘Customs Cares’ with School Projects in FCT
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has marked the one-year anniversary of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, ‘Customs Cares’, with the commissioning of projects and donation of educational and sporting materials to Government Secondary School, Wuse 3, Abuja.
The event, held on Tuesday, featured the commissioning of a newly renovated Assembly Hall, the donation of basketball jerseys and balls to the school team, and the planting of trees within the school premises as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and improve the learning environment.
Speaking at the occasion, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, described ‘Customs Cares’ as a structured and impactful CSR programme focused on education, healthcare, food security, environmental sustainability, social investments, and the creative economy.
He noted that the initiative reflects the Service’s commitment to supporting national development beyond its core mandate.
Adeniyi commended the students for their recent basketball victory over the Customs team and emphasised the importance of the Assembly Hall in fostering confidence, creativity, and public speaking among students.
He also called for sustainable maintenance strategies for public facilities, suggesting collaboration between schools, government agencies, and private organisations to ensure long-term value.
Read Also:
According to him, the Service has set a target of reaching 50,000 pupils across the country, adding that about 15,000 have already benefited within the first year of the programme.
He further explained that the Service’s CSR efforts now go beyond infrastructure to include critical interventions such as water provision in underserved communities, noting that access to water remains a key component of sustainable development goals.
The Head of the Customs Cares CSR Unit, Comptroller Mbwidiffu Ibrahim, described the initiative as a strategic response to the developmental needs of communities.
She said the return to the school to mark the anniversary demonstrates the Service’s commitment to continuity, accountability, and measurable impact, adding that the project represents an investment in the future of young Nigerians.
Representing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Secretary for Education, Dr. Danlami Hayyo, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for prioritising education and urged the school to make effective use of the new facility.
Similarly, the Director and Secretary of the FCT Secondary Education Board, Fatima Gambo Babba, described the intervention as a reflection of strong collaboration between public institutions and the education sector.
In her remarks, the school’s Principal, Mrs. Josephine Chizoba Ugwu, expressed appreciation to the Service, noting that the intervention, which also includes CCTV cameras and solar-powered lighting, would significantly enhance teaching, learning, and overall school development.
