Customs pledges educational support for 50,000 Nigerian students

…unveils renovated school in Lagos

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) ‘Customs Cares’ initiative, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it aims to provide educational support to 50,000 Nigerian students in 2025 with 10,000 already benefitting nationwide.

Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi disclosed this at the unveiling of the renovated Christ Assembly Nursery and Primary School, Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government in Lagos, on Thursday.

Adeniyi stated that the NCS’s CSR target for the year is to directly provide essential school items such as bags, notebooks, shoes, rain jackets and umbrellas, among others, to 50,000 students.

According to him, of this number, 10,000 students have already received support with 3,000 of them in Lagos.

“Today, we are going to reach out to 2,000 school pupils and we have all of these learning aids to give them under our creative economy pillar, ” he said.

Beyond educational support, Adeniyi said the NCS’s CRS efforts extends to health care, with a target to reach out to 10 million Nigerians through various intervention programs.

“It is our belief that what we are doing is in line with the mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service through our corporate social responsibility obligation.

According to him, the aim is to “recognise that all our communities where we serve have remained strong pillars of support for us.”

He added that in reciprocating this support, the NCS is seeking partnerships with other agencies of government, civil societies and other international agencies to leverage resources and widen their reach.

To the pupils of Christ Assembly Nursery & Primary School, the CGC emphasised the importance of education and diligence for growth and wellbeing in the future, as well as career advancement.

Recalling the efforts of the school principal that made the school emerge the national overall best about 10 years ago, Adeniyi charged the pupils to make the best use of the facilities provided, and to also excel in their academic performance.

“We have officially adopted your school, you are now members of our family,” Adeniyi told the pupils.

According to him, though he is at the topmost rank in his career, he has continued to expand knowledge “because education is life-changing”.

The CGC explained that the inspiration for the ongoing Customs corporate social responsibility programme was a modest intervention provided by time and supported by stakeholders.

Recalling the extent of dilapidation of the school structures and facilities before the intervention kicked off about two months ago, Adeniyi expressed delight that the NCS has “brought smiles into the faces of our officers, our pupils and their teachers.

“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 the renewed hope that our children can learn under a good environment and can aspire to be the very best that they could in their career.”

He disclosed that apart from education under the CSR programme, the Nigeria Customs Service has identified five other pillars to support the president’s Sustainable Development Goals’ priorities.

These, he said, include “intervention in healthcare, supporting the creative industries, providing water access to less-privileged Nigerians, and supporting information technology.

Disclosing plans for further interventions, Adeniyi said that developing the facilities in the near-by Maracana Stadium to serve as playground for the school would be the next step, while calling for local council partnership.

According to him, the NCS “will actively support sports and talent development to nurture future champions.

The CGC also commended the Tin Can Island Port Customs Area Controller, Compt. Frank Oyeka, and his team for identifying the intervention project and ensuring its delivery.

Noting that 75 per cent of customs revenue and operations at the seaports, airports and land borders come from Lagos, he stressed that this justified the decision to locate a customs university of trade, commerce and technology in Badagry.

He disclosed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved 50 hectares of land for the NCS to start this project, adding that already, the National Assembly has approved the budget for the institution which, according to him, will not only redefine the agency’s obligation to its host-community but also change the landscape of education in the country.