The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced the recruitment of 3,852 new officers while unveiling plans to make its recruitment exercise an annual event.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the announcement on Tuesday during the presentation of the final list of successful candidates for the 2024/2025 recruitment exercise at the Service headquarters in Abuja.
According to him, 1,275 successful applicants were recruited into the Superintendent Cadre, 367 into the Inspectorate Cadre, while 2,210 joined the Customs Assistant Cadre.
Adeniyi said the decision to conduct recruitment every year is aimed at creating a more structured manpower planning system that will allow the Service to replace retiring officers promptly while providing young Nigerians with regular employment opportunities.
He explained that the Service is moving away from the previous system where recruitment exercises were conducted after long intervals, often leaving prospective applicants uncertain about when new vacancies would be announced.
The Customs boss disclosed that the 2026 recruitment exercise is expected to commence later this year, adding that future recruitment processes would be completed within a year, from the advertisement stage to the release of the final list of successful candidates.
He noted that the lengthy duration of the 2024/2025 recruitment exercise was largely due to the development of a comprehensive recruitment framework that would support future exercises.
According to Adeniyi, the Service invested significant time and resources in establishing screening procedures, verification processes and other systems that are now fully operational, making future recruitment exercises faster and more efficient.
He added that the new annual recruitment model would improve workforce planning by enabling the Service to anticipate vacancies arising from retirements and other exits instead of reacting only after shortages occur.
Adeniyi also said the initiative would provide greater certainty for applicants, as unsuccessful candidates would know exactly when the next recruitment exercise would take place, allowing them to prepare without waiting years for another opportunity.
The announcement comes at the conclusion of the 2024/2025 recruitment exercise, which drew thousands of applications from Nigerians seeking employment in the Nigeria Customs Service.
