Customs Pledges ₦50m to Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in Abuja

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified efforts to promote breast cancer awareness and early detection, with a ₦50 million pledge from the Managing Director of Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Dr Jummai Umar-Ajijola, to support the fight against the disease.

The pledge was announced during a breast cancer sensitisation programme organised by the NCS at its headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, on October 6, 2026, as part of activities marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The programme, themed “Inspect, Detect, Protect,” brought together Customs officers, medical professionals and other stakeholders to encourage regular screening, promote early diagnosis and address misconceptions surrounding the disease.

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Information and Communication Technology and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, who represented the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, urged officers to treat cancer as a health challenge rather than a source of stigma.

She said awareness and education were essential to ensuring early detection and effective management, while encouraging officers to pay closer attention to their health.“Cancer isn’t a stigma. It is a time to give attention to those affected and give them hope again. Together, we can build a healthier society, a healthier Service, and healthier communities,” Adebakin said.

The President of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA), Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, who was the special guest of honour and keynote speaker, called on officers, particularly women, to make regular health checks a priority.She observed that many women tended to concentrate on caring for their families while neglecting their personal wellbeing, warning that such attitudes could delay the detection of potentially serious illnesses.

“Fellow officers, you must be alive before you get promoted. Check on yourself,” she said.Adeniyi also cautioned against the misconception that breast cancer affects only women, urging male officers to remain vigilant about their own health and support women in their families and communities to seek timely medical attention.

In her remarks, the Project Manager of the BOYA Project, Fauziya Abubakar, said the initiative had sustained breast cancer awareness activities within the Customs Service for three years. She stressed the need to maintain regular sensitisation and screening programmes, noting that early detection remained crucial in the fight against the disease.

The Managing Director of Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Dr Jummai Umar-Ajijola, who pledged ₦50 million towards the campaign, urged participants to apply the same attention to detail they bring to their official responsibilities to monitoring their health.“When you are not sure, always ask and always check. No one has to fight this alone,” she said.

The event featured health education sessions, medical consultations, a breast cancer survivor’s testimony and an interactive question-and-answer session.It concluded with free breast cancer screening for officers and other participants, providing an opportunity for attendees to take practical steps towards early detection.

The organisers said the initiative was aimed at strengthening health awareness within the Customs Service and encouraging officers and stakeholders to embrace preventive healthcare.