By George Ozalla
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has earned international recognition after its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Customs Cares, received the Commonwealth Environment and CSR Gold Award in Glasgow, Scotland.
The award, presented on Friday, July 31, 2026, recognises organisations implementing measurable, sustainable and community-driven initiatives that contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Customs Cares was honoured for its interventions in education, healthcare, food security and environmental sustainability across communities in Nigeria.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Timi Bomodi, described the recognition as a significant milestone in the ongoing transformation of the Service.
“This award is both humbling and inspiring. It affirms our belief that public institutions create their greatest value not only by fulfilling their statutory mandates, but by improving lives and strengthening the communities they serve,” Bomodi said.
According to a statement, the Comptroller-General attributed the international recognition to the enabling environment created by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that the Customs Cares initiative has positively impacted more than 10 million Nigerians across 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He explained that the programme has delivered a range of community-focused projects, including the renovation of schools, provision of healthcare services, construction of clean water facilities, distribution of food support and implementation of the Green Borders Initiative.
Adeniyi said the Service’s commitment extends beyond its statutory responsibilities of revenue collection, trade facilitation and border security, stressing that Customs also places high value on improving the welfare of the people.
“Beyond every classroom renovated, every borehole commissioned and every tree planted is something even more enduring; trust,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Governor of Tharaka Nithi County in Kenya, Muthomi Njuki, emphasised the need for stronger international collaboration in addressing climate change. He maintained that no nation could tackle the global environmental crisis alone, adding that accountability, innovation, partnerships and shared responsibility remain essential to building a greener, safer and more prosperous world.
The Comptroller in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mbwiduffu Ibrahim, described the award as an encouragement for the Service to deepen its community engagement efforts.
“For a long time, we worked believing that the impact in our communities was reward enough. Today, this international recognition tells us that those efforts have not gone unnoticed,” she said.
The organisers stated that the Nigeria Customs Service received the prestigious award in recognition of its innovative Hub-and-Spoke Community Activation Model, which has strengthened the delivery of social intervention projects in communities across the country.
They further explained that the recognition reinforces the Service’s growing reputation as a modern Customs administration that combines its core responsibilities of revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security with initiatives that promote sustainable development and improve the quality of life of Nigerians.
