By Louvier Kindo Tombe
In recognition of outstanding leadership, fiscal performance, and commitment to border security, Mr. Athanasius Eddia Njenge, Chief of the Ekok Customs Main Unit (Bureau Principal des Douanes Hors Classe d’Ekok), has been officially decorated with the prestigious G2G Courageous Men Prize.
Organized by the Grass 2 Grace (G2G) Humanitarian Organization, the award honors patriotic public servants who demonstrate exceptional strength, integrity, and administrative courage in service to the nation.
Mr. Eddia Njenge, a Principal Inspector of Customs (Inspecteur Principal des Douanes) who previously commanded the Idenau Customs Post, has turned the Ekok land border in Manyu Division into a key model for revenue generation and regional trade integration along the Cameroon–Nigeria corridor.
Breaking Revenue Records
Under his leadership, the Ekok Superscale Customs Main House achieved a historic financial milestone in 2025, generating over 4.713 Billion FCFA for the State Treasury. This performance marked a significant jump from the 4.441 Billion FCFA collected in 2024.
Mr. Eddia Njenge credited this growth to strict adherence to guidelines set by the Ministry of Finance and the Director General of Customs, backed by the operational discipline of his 50-element team stationed at the frontier.
Advancing Regional Integration Under AfCFTA
Beyond revenue collection, Mr. Eddia Njenge’s technical expertise continues to shape cross-border trade facilitation across Central and West Africa.
As part of a high-level advance technical team alongside Mr. Ndefru Angwafo (Head of the Studies Unit) and Mr. Keambou Firmin (IT Division Research Assistant), Mr. Eddia Njenge participated in a benchmarking mission to the Beitbridge border post between Zimbabwe and South Africa. His technical findings provided key blueprints for establishing coordinated One-Stop Border Post arrangements along the critical Mfum-Ekok trade corridor under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Words of Commendation and Commitment
Speaking during the award ceremony, HRH Thomas A. Fotang, Founder and CEO of Grass 2 Grace (G2G) and Goodwill Ambassador under UN-CISRI, emphasized the purpose of the distinction:
”The event is designed to celebrate and recognize the strength, endurance, and longevity in service of the people working… and doing extraordinary things for the society. The unstoppable G2G organization is embarked on celebrating the lives of patriotic servants in this nation and beyond,” — HRH Thomas A. Fotang, Founder & CEO of G2G Cameroon said.
Accepting the award, Mr. Eddia Njenge dedicated the honor to his workforce and reiterated his commitment to the state:
”This recognition goes beyond a personal milestone; it reflects the relentless dedication of our entire 50-element team at the Ekok border post. We remain firm in our resolve to enforce strict administrative directives, maximize revenue collection for the State, and secure our borders while driving trade facilitation across the corridor,” — Mr. Athanasius Eddia Njenge, Chief of Ekok Customs Main Unit said.
