The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has urged the government to rethink its approach to border management, calling for border communities to be seen as partners in national growth rather than neglected problem zones. He said investing in these areas would strengthen national security, curb smuggling, and create lasting economic opportunities.
Speaking at the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) Sustainability and Green Borders Summit in Abuja, Adeniyi stressed that true empowerment through eco-enterprises, youth employment, and local infrastructure would break the cycle of poverty and insecurity. “Prevention is cheaper than enforcement,” he said. “Every young person we employ in a legitimate venture is one less person available to traffickers.”
He unveiled plans for a National Green Border Project that will promote sustainability, empower communities, and reduce the effects of climate change. According to him, “Green Customs is not a side project; it’s a priority.” He explained that the Nigeria Customs Service will fund women-led recycling and eco-enterprise initiatives in border towns, emphasizing that “every eco-enterprise we support is a barrier to smuggling that doesn’t require confrontation.”
COWA President, Kikelomo Adeniyi, also launched the COWA Sustainability and Innovation Centre to train border women and youth in solar energy, waste recycling, and green business. She said the initiative, themed “Greening Borders, Empowering Lives”, aims to transform forgotten communities into centers of hope and innovation. “This is not just about planting trees,” she added. “It’s about planting hope, growing opportunities, and cultivating responsibility.”
Recent findings by COWA revealed that 70% of Nigeria’s border communities lack clean water and electricity, while deforestation and illegal trade worsen insecurity. To address this, Adeniyi called for direct funding and collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, and international partners, saying sustainability must become a national development priority rather than a mere talking point.