Customs Officers' Wives Association (COWA) said it will empower border communities through environmental sustainability and women-focused infrastructure projects extending its Green Border Initiative from Ogun to Lagos and other frontier regions across Nigeria.

The initiative, which began with a tree-planting ceremony at Idiroko Border on November 10 and continued with the first-ever Green Border Day at Seme Border on November 14, aims to promote climate consciousness, improve border sanitation, and support economic empowerment through green innovation.

Speaking at the Seme launch, the COWA national president, Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, said the Green Border Initiative reflects the association's dedication to connecting people, borders, and the planet through sustainable actions.

Mrs. Adeniyi noted that "the programme builds on resolutions from the COWA Green Borders and Sustainability Summit held earlier in Abuja, where the association unveiled plans for a COWA Sustainability and Innovation Centre -- a hub to promote climate education, research, and green entrepreneurship,"

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"What began in Abuja as an idea has now taken shape in Seme. Through this initiative, we aim to plant over 5,000 trees, train 1,000 women and youths in recycling and green enterprise, and set up solar-powered eco-hubs across border communities," she added.

The Customs Area Controller of Ogun I Command, Comptroller Godwin Otunla, also lauded the initiative as a platform to promote welfare and environmental responsibility along border corridors, adding that it aligns with the Nigeria Customs Service's efforts to balance trade facilitation, border security, and sustainability.