Customs Marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Pledges ₦50m Support

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has marked the 2026 Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a sensitisation programme aimed at promoting early detection, prevention and treatment of the disease among its officers and stakeholders.

The programme, held on Tuesday, October 6, at the NCS Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, was organised under the theme, “Inspect, Detect, Protect.”

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Information and Communication Technology and Modernisation, Oluyomi Adebakin, urged officers to prioritise their health and shun the stigmatisation of cancer patients.

Adebakin said cancer should not be viewed as a stigma or a death sentence, stressing that sustained education and sensitisation were critical to early detection and effective management of the disease.

She said, “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.”

Also speaking, the President of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA), Kikelomo Adeniyi, who was the Special Guest of Honour and keynote speaker, called on officers, particularly women, to make regular health checks and self-examination a priority.

She noted that women often prioritised the wellbeing of their families while neglecting their own health, urging them to seek medical attention promptly whenever they noticed unusual changes.

“Fellow officers, you must be alive before you get promoted. Check on yourself,” she said.

Adeniyi also reminded male officers that breast cancer could affect men, urging them to support women in their families and communities in the fight against the disease.

The Project Manager of the BOYA Project, Fauziya Abubakar, said the initiative had sustained breast cancer awareness within the NCS for three years, emphasising the importance of regular screening and continuous sensitisation.

A major highlight of the event was a ₦50 million pledge by the Managing Director of Trade Modernisation Project Limited, Dr Jummai Umar-Ajijola, towards supporting the fight against breast cancer.

Umar-Ajijola urged participants to demonstrate the same diligence applied to Customs operations in monitoring their personal health.

“When you are not sure, always ask and always check. No one has to fight this alone,” she said.

The programme featured a health talk, medical session, survivor testimony and question-and-answer segment, and ended with free breast cancer screening for officers and other participants.

The initiative, organisers said, was designed to move beyond awareness by encouraging practical steps towards early detection and improved health outcomes.