The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has earned international recognition after its flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Customs Cares, received the Commonwealth Environment and CSR Gold Award for its contributions to community development and sustainable social impact across Nigeria.
The award, presented in Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday, July 31, 2026, recognises organisations implementing measurable and sustainable initiatives that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Customs Cares programme was honoured for its interventions in education, healthcare, food security and environmental sustainability.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Timi Bomodi, described the recognition as a significant milestone in the Service’s transformation journey.
Bomodi said the honour underscores the growing role of public institutions in improving the welfare of citizens beyond their statutory responsibilities, noting that the award reflects the Service’s commitment to creating lasting value in communities across the country.
Adeniyi attributed the achievement to the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, stating that the Customs Cares initiative has impacted more than 10 million Nigerians in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said the programme has delivered school renovation projects, healthcare interventions, clean water facilities, food support initiatives and the Green Borders Initiative, adding that its greatest achievement lies in strengthening public trust through sustained community engagement.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Governor of Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya, Muthomi Njuki, highlighted the importance of international collaboration in addressing climate and development challenges, stressing that accountability, partnership, innovation and shared responsibility remain critical to building a more sustainable future.
Also speaking, the Comptroller in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mbwiduffu Ibrahim, said the global recognition would motivate the Service to deepen its investment in community-focused programmes, noting that while improving lives had always been its primary objective, the award affirmed that those efforts were making a meaningful impact.
The organisers said the Nigeria Customs Service received the prestigious honour for its innovative Hub-and-Spoke Community Activation Model, describing the initiative as an example of how customs administrations can combine their core mandates of revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security with sustainable community development.
