The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has celebrated the first anniversary of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, ‘Customs Cares’, with the inauguration of key projects and the donation of educational and sports materials to Government Secondary School, Wuse 3, Abuja.

The anniversary event, held on Tuesday, saw the unveiling of a refurbished assembly hall, the presentation of basketball kits and balls to students, and a tree-planting exercise aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and enhancing the school environment.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, described ‘Customs Cares’ as a well-structured CSR platform designed to deliver measurable impact across key sectors, including education, healthcare, food security, environmental sustainability, social investment, and the creative economy.

He said the initiative underscores the Service’s broader commitment to national development beyond its statutory responsibilities.

Adeniyi praised the students for their recent basketball win against a Customs team and highlighted the importance of the upgraded assembly hall as a space for building confidence, nurturing creativity, and improving public speaking skills among learners.

He also indicated the Service’s readiness to collaborate with the school’s management to maximise the facility’s potential, noting that its central location in Abuja presents opportunities for revenue generation.

The Customs boss further stressed the need for proper maintenance of public infrastructure, advocating partnerships between schools, government bodies, and private organisations to ensure sustainability.

According to him, the Service aims to impact 50,000 students nationwide through the programme, adding that about 15,000 beneficiaries have already been reached within the first year.

He added that the CSR initiative has expanded beyond infrastructure development to include essential interventions such as water supply in underserved communities, in line with sustainable development priorities.

Head of the Customs Cares CSR Unit, Comptroller Mbwidiffu Ibrahim, said the programme is tailored to address critical community needs, noting that returning to the school for the anniversary reflects the Service’s commitment to continuity, accountability, and tangible results.

She described the intervention as an investment in the future of Nigerian students.

Representing the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Secretary for Education, Danlami Hayyo, commended the Service for its focus on education and urged the school to utilise the new facilities effectively.

Also speaking, the director and secretary of the FCT Secondary Education Board, Fatima Gambo Babba, described the initiative as evidence of productive collaboration between public institutions and the education sector.

In her remarks, the school’s Principal, Josephine Chizoba Ugwu, expressed gratitude to the Service, noting that the intervention— which also includes the installation of CCTV cameras and solar-powered lighting— will significantly improve teaching, learning, and overall school development.