Customs Officers’ Wives begin nationwide 1,000-tree campaign

By Abubakar Yunusa

The Customs Officers’ Wives Association has unveiled a nationwide tree-planting campaign aimed at planting 1,000 trees within one hour across multiple locations in Nigeria.

The initiative, scheduled for Thursday, April 30, 2026, will run between 7am and 8am under the association’s COWA Green Borders sustainability drive.

The campaign is designed to promote grassroots environmental stewardship while contributing to broader climate action efforts through community-led participation.

According to the organisers, stakeholders, volunteers, community members and environmental advocates will converge at designated planting points across the country for the coordinated exercise.

The association said the simultaneous planting activities in several states are expected not only to achieve the one-hour target, but also to inspire collective action against environmental threats such as deforestation, climate change and land degradation.

Speaking on the initiative, the National President of COWA, Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, described the campaign as a practical demonstration of shared responsibility in tackling environmental challenges.

She said, “If we are to secure a healthier and more sustainable future for our communities, we must all recognise that environmental stewardship is a shared duty.

“This initiative is not simply about planting trees; it is about planting hope, restoring our environment and inspiring a culture of responsibility that can endure for generations.”

Adeniyi noted that the programme aligns with the association’s broader sustainability vision of linking environmental action with community development and citizen engagement.

She added that the campaign would also help deepen awareness of the ecological and social benefits of tree planting, especially among younger generations.

“The ‘1,000 Trees in One Hour’ campaign shows what can be achieved when people come together with purpose.

“While the trees we plant today will contribute to environmental restoration, the awareness we are creating will help nurture environmentally conscious citizens,” she said.

She explained that the exercise was intended to evolve beyond a one-day event into a sustained movement for ecological advocacy and community participation.

According to her, the initiative seeks to strengthen partnerships with environmental stakeholders and promote wider citizen participation in sustainability-focused programmes.

With the launch of the campaign, COWA said it was reinforcing the role of citizens, particularly women and young people, in safeguarding Nigeria’s environmental future.