By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) has empowered 37 newly trained beneficiaries under the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, providing start-up tools, seed capital, and business support to enhance household income and strengthen family stability.
The event which held on Sunday, 9 November 2025, at the Customs Training College, Ikeja, was themed “Empowering Women, Strengthening Families.” It was graced by the National President of COWA, Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi; senior Customs officers and key stakeholders.
In her keynote address, Mrs Adeniyi described the empowerment of women in uniformed families as a strategic contribution to national development. She emphasised that women must no longer remain economically dependent in a rapidly changing global economy.
According to her, COWA is deliberately shifting its empowerment model from traditional vocations such as tailoring and catering toward more sustainable, climate-responsive ventures like recycling, waste conversion, and other green-economy enterprises.
“When you empower a woman, you empower a nation. We want our women to run real enterprises that generate real income, not hobby-based skills. The world has moved into sustainability and climate-positive innovation, and we must not be left behind”, Mrs. Adeniyi stated.
She also unveiled the Green Brother Sustainability Initiative, COWA’s flagship project designed to equip Customs officers’ wives with practical skills to convert household waste into marketable products, establish recycling clusters, and participate in circular-economy value chains.
Mrs Adeniyi announced that the programme would also establish Eco Hubs for women, beginning in Abuja, with 10 additional border-based centres to be rolled out across the country. She further highlighted ongoing environmental restoration activities, including the planting of 73 trees at the Leila border last month, with similar initiatives planned for Seme and Idiroko.
“COWA is not doing this for show. These tools are not souvenirs, they are instruments of livelihood. We are building women who create value, who keep stable homes and women who train others. When you uplift a family, you uplift a nation”, she added.
Acting COWA Chairperson FOU, Zone ‘A’ Dr. Juliet Eya, applauded the national leadership for translating vision into measurable action. She disclosed that additional grants would be extended to women already running businesses, as well as to widows and retired members, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Host of the event, Comptroller FOU ‘A’ Mohammed Shuaibu, reaffirmed the Unit’s commitment to sustained empowerment initiatives, describing the effort as an investment in the home front of officers who serve the nation.
“Strengthening the home front strengthens the Service”, he said. “Empowered wives become entrepreneurs and that strengthens both the household and the nation.” he added.
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