COWA Opens Supermarkets, Pharmacies, Stores to Empower Officers’ Wives, Communities
By Abdulkareem Zurmi
The Customs Officers Wives Association (COWA) on Thursday, 27 August 2026, commissioned supermarkets, pharmacies and stores at Mobey Customs Barracks and Abdulwahab Customs Quarters to provide affordable goods and essential services to officers’ families and surrounding communities.
Nine shops were commissioned at Mobey, with additional outlets opened at Abdulwahab as part of COWA’s efforts to promote the welfare and economic empowerment of officers’ wives while extending essential services to the wider community.
Speaking during the commissioning, COWA President, Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, described the initiative as more than a commercial venture, saying it was designed to promote empowerment, welfare and community development.
“This is not just a shop. It is about empowerment as well as community building,” she said.
Mrs Adeniyi expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the management team and officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for supporting COWA and providing the space needed to establish the outlets.
She said the initiative would help officers’ wives who often spend long periods managing their homes and families while their husbands are engaged in securing the nation’s borders.
According to her, the availability of affordable goods and essential services within the Customs community demonstrates that the welfare and needs of officers’ families are being recognised and prioritised.
The COWA President noted that the outlets are open not only to officers and their families but also to members of the public living around the two locations, thereby broadening the initiative’s impact beyond the Customs community.
She added that affordable pricing and convenient access would remain central to COWA’s efforts to ensure that the new outlets provide meaningful value to customers and contribute to the development of the host communities.
