Joy and excitement filled the air on Thursday at Christ Assembly Nursery and Primary School, Rasaki Street, Olodi Apapa, Lagos, as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) Command, commissioned newly renovated school buildings and donated thousands of educational materials to pupils.
The event, which featured cultural performances including a traditional Eyo display, marked the official launch of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project carried out under the Customs Cares initiative—a programme launched to drive social impact across communities.
Led by the TCIP Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, the Command renovated deteriorating structures at the school, provided furniture, equipped the Information and Communication Technology room, and donated over 2,000 learning materials including books and writing aids.
Comptroller M.I. Ibrahim, the officer overseeing the Customs Cares programme, commended the efforts of the CAC and urged the school to maintain the facilities provided. She described the initiative as a commitment to improving learning environments across the country.
Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Zone A, Charles Orbih, reaffirmed the NCS’s dedication to corporate social responsibility, noting that the programme was inaugurated in Abuja earlier this year and that the Apapa Area Command had already begun implementing educational projects in the South West.
In his remarks, Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, emphasized the Service’s broader goals. “Our target in 2025 under our CSR programme is to directly reach out to 50,000 students with school bags, shoes, rain jackets, umbrellas, and other learning tools,” he said. “So far, we’ve reached about 10,000 students, including 3,000 from Lagos. Today, 2,000 more pupils will benefit from this outreach.”
He added that the NCS also aims to reach 10 million Nigerians through healthcare interventions under its CSR initiatives.
The Commissioner for Basic Education in Lagos State, Tolani Alli-Balogun, praised the Customs Service for supporting the state government’s policies on educational development and welcomed future collaborations.
Other dignitaries at the event included Oba Maroof Ayokunle Oluwa, the Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom; Mayor Fatai Ayoola, Chairman of Ajeromi/Ifelodun Local Government; and Hon. Paul Adeboye Kalejaye, member representing Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, who all expressed gratitude to the NCS for the school intervention.
The Headmistress of the school, Mrs. Esther Ogunfuyi, expressed deep appreciation. “By renovating our school, you have given us a renewed sense of pride and hope,” she said. “Your generosity has created a safer, more inspiring, and dignified environment for teaching and learning.”
Closing the event, Comptroller Frank Onyeka expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Comptroller-General and all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the project. “The excitement from the headmistress is enough to encourage us to do more,” he stated.