Nigeria Customs and Commitment to Boosting Education System
By Abdulsalam Mahmud
Nigeria’s education system is not faring well. It is degenerating, so fastly. Our education sector is plagued by many issues, including poor funding by the government, inadequate and ill-equipped academic staff at public schools, the out-of-school children crisis, together with obsolete, dilapidated learning infrastructure, among others.
Earlier this year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that, “At least 10.5 million children are out of school in Nigeria – the highest rate in the world. A full one-third of Nigerian children are not in school, and one in five out-of-school children in the world is Nigerian.
“Millions of Nigerian children have never set foot in a classroom – and this is a travesty. Perhaps equally tragic is the high number of children who make it into a classroom but never make the transition from primary school to secondary school, thereby cutting off their chances for a secure future.
“It is estimated that 35 percent of Nigerian children who attend primary school do not go on to attend secondary school. Half of all Nigerian children did not attend secondary school in 2021.” Moreover, in a report published in 2023, UNICEF again disclosed that over 75 percent of children aged seven to fourteen in Nigeria could not read simple sentences or solve basic mathematics.
In April 2022, UNICEF also reported that 11,536 schools were shut in northern Nigeria from 2020 to 2022 due to violence, affecting 1.3 million children. The federal and state governments have not succeeded in permanently fixing the education system, necessitating the call for private sector support.
Although a government agency, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has displayed practical commitment to boosting educational growth in the country. The agency may have established several primary and secondary schools nationwide, but Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has reaffirmed the NCS’ unwavering commitment to advancing education, by investing additional resources into the Service’s schools.
Adeniyi, the Comptroller General of Customs, made this declaration while serving as Chairman of the Occasion during the official launch of the book, “Business Geek: Innovative Incubator From Concept to Reality,” authored by the wife of a senior Customs officer, Asma’u Isah Maibasirah, at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.
In his address, CGC Adeniyi emphasised that providing quality education remains a top priority for the Nigeria Customs, as it plays a critical role in the nation’s development. He highlighted that their NCS is building and renovating primary and secondary schools in various states to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to quality education.
He also reiterated their agency’s dedication to deploying resources to address educational challenges. The Comptroller General, who pointed out that the book offers valuable insights into entrepreneurship and innovation, which are critical for addressing the country’s unemployment challenges, also stated, “There must be something in this book that we must pay serious attention to.”
He added, “It is a very timely intervention because we have a high unemployment rate, especially among the youth, and I believe this is the time we must all grab this book.” The Business Geek book, authored by Asma’u, aims to foster a culture of creativity and business acumen among Nigerians, particularly the youth, by providing practical guidance on transforming innovative concepts into viable enterprises.
The CGC commended the author’s initiative and noted that the book aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda of empowering small-scale businesses to revitalise the economy. Adeniyi further pledged the support of the Nigeria Customs in collaborating with the author to ensure the book reaches a wider audience, adding, “We are committed to supporting the author in providing adequate printed copies whenever the need arises.”
In his review of the book, Prof. Muhammad Aliyu Paiko, Vice-Chancellor of Abdulkadir Kure University, Minna, Niger State, described the publication as insightful and a robust research material for intellectuals and students alike. He lauded the author for her thorough research and compelling presentation of ideas relevant to academic and professional audiences.
Addressing the gathering, the author of the book, Asma’u Maibasirah, expressed her profound gratitude to Mrs. Kikelomo Adewale Adeniyi, who represented the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her unwavering support towards the success of the publication. She acknowledged the critical role the First Lady played in providing encouragement and assistance that ensured the book’s successful launch.
Maibasirah also appreciated CGC Adeniyi and his team for their immense support, which she noted had a positive impact on the entire process of publishing and launching the book. According to her, the Business Geek book contributes to the discourse on entrepreneurship and highlights efforts to promote small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as a pathway to economic prosperity.
In a country grappling with systemic educational challenges, the Nigeria Customs’ unwavering commitment to education offers a silver lining. The NCS is playing a crucial role in providing access to quality education for children across the country, by investing in the renovation and establishment of more Customs’ schools.
The school development agenda of the NCS indeed addresses the pressing need for a better learning environment and improved academic standards. At a time when government efforts towards boosting the growth of the education sector have proven insufficient, the involvement of agencies like the NCS is critical, and laudable.
Their support for educational development in the country is not only transforming the lives of students, but also strengthening the foundation for Nigeria’s future. And under CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the Nigeria Customs wants to ensure that more Nigerian children have the opportunity to receive an education that can open doors to brighter prospects.
Mahmud, Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, can be reached via: [email protected].*
