By Andrew Abah, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service, under the leadership of Comptroller-General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has thrown its weight behind the National Sports Commission’s athletes training grant programme as Nigeria intensifies preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
The NCS provided critical support to the Commission’s initiative designed to boost elite athletes’ readiness ahead of major international competitions.
Two weeks ago, 26 elite athletes drawn from different sports received training grants worth millions of naira under the programme. The intervention is targeted at strengthening athletes’ preparation through improved access to quality coaching, enhanced nutrition, modern training equipment and exposure to competitive events.
The National Sports Commision noted that the backing of the Customs Service comes at a crucial time, as athletes enter the final stretch of preparations for global competitions. The grants are expected to ease financial pressures that often hinder optimal performance and allow beneficiaries to focus squarely on training.
Beyond institutional support, the Customs boss is widely regarded as a passionate sports administrator. Adeniyi also serves as President of the Nigeria Wrestling Federation, where he has consistently advocated structured funding, grassroots development and athletes welfare.
His commitment to Nigerian sports was visible during the recent Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he rallied support for the Nigerian national football team, reinforcing morale and national backing for the squad.
This week, that passion translated into infrastructure development with the commissioning of the Wale Adeniyi Sports Arena in Ibafon, Lagos. The facility, executed as a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of the Nigeria Customs Service, was formally inaugurated by the Comptroller-General.
The arena is expected to serve as a hub for community sports development, talent discovery and youth engagement, further underlining the Service’s expanding footprint beyond its statutory mandate.
