Customs Introduces Annual Recruitment Cycle, Releases Final List of 3,852 Successful Candidates
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the introduction of an annual recruitment cycle as it released the final list of 3,852 successful candidates for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the announcement on Tuesday during a press briefing on the release of the final recruitment list, describing the new yearly recruitment system as a major step towards improving manpower planning and ensuring a more predictable employment process.
According to CGC Adeniyi, the successful candidates comprise 1,275 in the Superintendent Cadre, 367 in the Inspectorate Cadre and 2,210 in the Customs Assistant Cadre.
He explained that the recruitment exercise, which commenced in December 2024, attracted 573,680 applications, making it one of the most competitive exercises conducted by the Service.
The CGC apologised to applicants for the delay in concluding the exercise, attributing it to the unprecedented number of applications, extensive verification processes, and the high rate of retirements among senior officers during the period.
“We took the time because the Service was determined that the right candidates should emerge. Every candidate on this list passed through application screening, computer-based examination, and verification of credentials against the national identity database,” he said.
Adeniyi noted that the 3,852 successful candidates represented an overall success rate of 0.67 per cent, equivalent to approximately one successful applicant for every 148 applicants.
He added that all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory were represented in the recruitment, stressing that the Federal Character principle was fully applied in allocating positions.
The Comptroller-General disclosed that women accounted for 839 successful candidates, representing 21.8 per cent of the total intake, slightly higher than their share of the applications received.
He stated that the Service would intensify efforts to attract more qualified women into enforcement roles in future recruitment exercises.
Describing the new recruitment policy as a significant institutional reform, Adeniyi announced that the NCS would henceforth conduct recruitment every year instead of at irregular intervals.
“The 2026 Recruitment Exercise will open later this year, and it is my firm intention that it will be completed within a single calendar year, from advertisement to final list,” he said.
He explained that the annual recruitment cycle would enable the Service to plan its manpower needs based on anticipated retirements while giving prospective applicants certainty about when the next recruitment opportunity would arise.
Adeniyi urged successful candidates to monitor only the Service’s official communication channels for further instructions on their physical and medical screening.
He reiterated that recruitment into the Service remains free of charge, warning applicants against paying money to individuals or groups claiming to influence the recruitment process.
“Anyone who solicits payment on our behalf is a criminal and should be reported to the Service and the security agencies,” the Customs boss warned.
He further congratulated the successful candidates, noting that they had earned their places in a highly competitive exercise.
He also urged unsuccessful applicants not to lose hope, assuring them that another recruitment exercise would commence later this year under the new annual recruitment system.
