Nigeria Customs deepens community investment with school, health projects in Jigawa border town

Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has commissioned a major corporate social responsibility (CSR) project in Maigatari, Jigawa State, signalling a strategic shift by the service towards deeper community investment in border areas.

The intervention, executed under the NCS “Customs Care” initiative, includes the renovation of classroom blocks at Alhassan Primary School, distribution of more than 1,800 educational materials to pupils, and the provision of medical supplies to the Maigatari Health Centre.

Speaking at the ceremony, Adeniyi said the project reflects the service’s evolving philosophy that national institutions must go beyond revenue generation, trade facilitation and border security to deliver direct social impact.

According to him, the CSR framework is structured around six priority areas—education, healthcare, social investment, environmental sustainability, food security and support for the creative economy—aimed at strengthening communities that host Customs formations.

He described education as the foundation for economic growth and national cohesion, noting that investment in school infrastructure in border communities is a long-term strategy for building responsible citizenship and enhancing security.

The Customs boss also announced plans for a second phase of intervention at the school, including the construction of a perimeter fence to improve safety for pupils and teachers.

Earlier, N. P Umoh, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’, said the project was funded through a multi-stakeholder framework that includes institutional contributions from Customs personnel and partnerships with government agencies and host communities.

Umoh listed components of the intervention to include classroom rehabilitation, installation of desks, construction of 16 ventilated improved pit latrines, a solar-powered borehole, and a botanical garden to improve water access, sanitation and the learning environment.

He noted that Maigatari’s status as a strategic international border market makes social investment in the area critical to Nigeria’s economic and security architecture.

Jigawa State officials at the event, Babangida Umar, commissioner for budget, conveyed the appreciation of Governor Umar Namadi for the initiative, describing it as a direct boost to the state’s education and primary healthcare sectors.
Traditional rulers, local government representatives and community leaders also commended the Customs Service for extending development projects to remote border communities.

The Maigatari project is the first CSR rollout in the North-West zone since the formal launch of the Customs Care programme in Abuja in 2025, with the NCS indicating that similar interventions will be replicated across its operational commands nationwide.