Customs Officers’ Wives Expand Green Project To Support Border Communities

Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering border communities through environmental sustainability and women-focused programmes, extending its Green Border Initiative from Ogun to Lagos and other frontier regions across Nigeria.

The initiative, which began with a tree-planting ceremony at Idiroko Border on November 10 and continued with the first-ever Green Border Day at Seme Border on November 14, aims to promote climate consciousness, improve border sanitation, and support economic empowerment through green innovation.

Speaking at the Seme launch, the COWA national president, Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, said the Green Border Initiative reflects the association’s dedication to connecting people, borders, and the planet through sustainable actions. “We are not just planting trees or cleaning; we are igniting a movement of hope, responsibility, and transformation that connects our people, our borders, and our planet,” she said.

Mrs. Adeniyi noted that the programme builds on resolutions from the COWA Green Borders and Sustainability Summit held earlier in Abuja, where the association unveiled plans for a COWA Sustainability and Innovation Centre — a hub to promote climate education, research, and green entrepreneurship.

“What began in Abuja as an idea has now taken shape in Seme. Through this initiative, we aim to plant over 5,000 trees, train 1,000 women and youths in recycling and green enterprise, and set up solar-powered eco-hubs across border communities,” she added.

At both Idiroko and Seme, the events featured tree planting, community clean-ups, and recycling workshops, with active participation from market women, border youths, and volunteers. The Chairperson of COWA Ogun I Command, Mrs Fausat Otunla, commended Mrs Adeniyi for her leadership, saying her “visionary commitment continues to inspire members across the federation.”

The Customs Area Controller of Ogun I Command, Comptroller Godwin Otunla, also lauded the initiative as “a platform to promote welfare and environmental responsibility along border corridors,” adding that it aligns with the Nigeria Customs Service’s efforts to balance trade facilitation, border security, and sustainability.

Mrs Adeniyi further disclosed that the Green Border Initiative will be showcased globally at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where COWA will host a Side Event at the Nigerian Pavilion on November 17, 2025, to present Nigeria’s grassroots climate action model.

“We are taking the story of COWA’s Green Borders Sustainability Initiative to the world. Border communities are not only centres of trade; they are also frontline environments in need of protection, and Nigerian women are leading this transformation,” she said.

According to her, the Green Border Day will continue in other locations — including Jibia, Illela, Maigatari, Mfum, and Calabar — over the next year, culminating in the publication of a National Green Borders Impact Report and the commissioning of the Sustainability and Innovation Centre during COWA’s next national summit.

Through this effort, COWA says it is not only promoting environmental stewardship but also building inclusive economies and resilient communities across Nigeria’s border regions.