NCS Kwara Area Command Reaffirms Commitment to Community and Industrial Growth

By Stella Okocha 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara Area Command, has reaffirmed its commitment to community development, youth empowerment, inter-agency collaboration, and industrial growth through its participation in two major engagements in Kwara State.

The Ag. Area Controller of the Kwara Area Command, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, participated on Tuesday, 1 September 2026, in the grand finale of the 17th Edition of the Kwara State Commissioner of Police Cup held at the Kwara Football Academy Field, George Innih Stadium, Ilorin.

The grassroots Under-13 and Under-17 football tournament was organised by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON), Kwara State Branch, in partnership with the Nigeria Police Force. The competition featured young male and female athletes from across the state and was hosted by the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, CP Adekimi Ojo.

The event was also attended by representatives of the Kwara State Government and heads of security agencies in the state.

Speaking at the event, the Ag. Area Controller commended CP Adekimi Ojo and the Kwara State Police Command for sustaining the tournament for 17 consecutive editions. He noted that youth-focused initiatives provide constructive opportunities for young people while contributing to crime prevention, community security, unity, and social development.

Ogundeyi reaffirmed the Command’s readiness to support credible community initiatives that promote peaceful coexistence, youth development, and a secure environment for economic activities.

In a related engagement, the Command, on Thursday, 3 September 2026, represented the NCS at the 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kwara/Kogi States Branch, held at the Association’s House, New Yidi Road, Ilorin.

The conference, themed “Unlocking Nigeria’s Industrial Potential Through an Efficient Power Value Chain,” attracted key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, including the President of MAN, Otunba Francis Meshioye, and the Director-General of the Association, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir.

Representing the Ag. Area Controller at the conference, Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Margaret Bassey Ita, Officer in Charge of the Command’s Excise Unit, delivered a goodwill message highlighting areas of mutual interest between the NCS and the manufacturing sector.

CSC Ita outlined several initiatives being implemented by the Service to improve trade facilitation, including the digitalisation of customs processes to streamline cargo clearance, the implementation of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Scheme to facilitate legitimate and compliant businesses, and recently approved import exemptions for critical industrial materials and machinery.

She also emphasised the importance of continuous engagement between the NCS and MAN in identifying and addressing operational challenges affecting manufacturers and legitimate trade.

The Kwara Area Command stated that its participation in the two engagements demonstrates the NCS’s broader commitment to balancing its revenue collection and enforcement responsibilities with community relations, inter-agency cooperation, trade facilitation, and support for legitimate industrial activities.

The Command further reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening partnerships with relevant stakeholders and supporting initiatives that promote security, economic development, youth empowerment, and the growth of legitimate trade in Kwara State and Nigeria at large.