The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has highlighted the growing contributions of its female officers as it joined the global community to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, recognising their expanding roles in national security, trade facilitation, and institutional leadership.
The celebration, held under the theme “Give to Gain,” underscored the Service’s commitment to empowering women across operational and strategic positions.
Traditionally perceived as a male-dominated agency, the NCS said it has continued to promote gender inclusion under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, who has encouraged an environment that supports the professional advancement of female officers while promoting work-life balance.
As part of this effort, women now occupy key strategic positions within the Service, including the Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services (FATS), widely regarded as the second-in-command. Female officers also head the Tariff and Trade and ICT/Modernisation departments, while several others serve as Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACG) in critical management roles.
Speaking on the impact of women in the Service, the DCG in charge of Tariff and Trade, Caroline Niagwan, said female officers are playing a vital role in the modernisation of Customs operations.
According to her, women are contributing significantly to digital transformation, data-driven decision-making, and stakeholder reforms aligned with international best practices and Nigeria’s trade objectives under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Similarly, the DCG in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Kikelomo Adeola, emphasised the long-term value of investing in women within the Service.
“Educate a man and you educate an individual; educate a woman and you educate a generation. That is what the NCS is doing,” she said.
Adeola noted that the Service is encouraging junior female officers by providing access to training, mentorship, and opportunities that support career progression and professional development.
Also speaking, the DCG in charge of ICT/Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, described the Service’s gender inclusion efforts as deliberate and measurable. Adebakin, who became the first female to coordinate basic training in 2022 and the first female Commandant of the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College (NCCSC) in Gwagwalada, urged younger officers to remain committed and collaborative.
At the command level, Comptroller Hauwa Abubakar of the Lagos Free Trade Zone Command and Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku of Port Harcourt Area I Command highlighted mentorship and stakeholder engagement as key strategies for strengthening women’s leadership capacity within the Service.
Deputy Comptrollers Roseline Ezeh and Comfort Baikie also stressed the unique strengths women bring to the profession, particularly in pressure management and emotional intelligence.
The Service further demonstrated its support for female personnel through its backing of Deputy Comptroller Akpevwe Ogboru, who undertook a remarkable 72-day bike journey from Nigeria to Belgium and back, an initiative widely regarded as a symbol of the growing visibility and prominence of women in Customs.
As the Nigeria Customs Service commemorate International Women’s Day 2026, it reaffirmed its commitment to recognising and supporting the vital contributions of female officers to the ongoing transformation of the Service and Nigeria’s sustainable development.
