Customs Chief Commissions ASR-Funded Hospital in Bauchi

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has inaugurated a newly built 60-bed hospital in Bauchi, donated to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) by the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative.

The facility, named the Abdul Samad Rabiu/Nigeria Customs Service Hospital, was commissioned on Tuesday and is expected to expand healthcare access for Customs personnel, their families and neighbouring communities across Zone D.

According to a statement from the NCS, the Comptroller-General described the project as a strategic investment in staff welfare and a significant boost to the Service’s institutional capacity. He said modernisation of the NCS required not only technological upgrades but also social infrastructure that supports officers in the line of duty.

Dr Ubon Udoh, Managing Director of the ASR Africa initiative, said the intervention underscored the organisation’s commitment to sustainable, impact-driven philanthropy. He noted that the partnership with the NCS demonstrated the value of private sector support aligned with clear public-sector reform goals.

Representing the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, the Secretary to the State Government, Aminu Hammayo, said the hospital would strengthen the state’s healthcare system and complement existing public facilities. He added that the project illustrated the benefit of collaboration between government and responsible corporate institutions.

The commissioning marks the latest phase in a development process that began in 2008 when a small health post was established at the NCS Zone D Headquarters in Bauchi. It later evolved into a clinic and then a medical centre before a 2023 partnership between the NCS and ASR Africa upgraded it to a 30-bed hospital. A further redesign approved by the Comptroller-General has now expanded it into a 60-bed secondary healthcare facility offering selected tertiary services.

The hospital currently houses seven clinical departments, including Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Surgery, Internal Medicine and others, supported by administrative, health information, dental, radiology and nutrition units. It is projected to manage up to 300 patients monthly in its first year, with long-term plans to introduce CT and MRI diagnostics, as well as specialised surgical services.

Earlier in the day, the Comptroller-General paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu. The Emir welcomed the investment, describing it as a contribution to both institutional efficiency and community wellbeing