573,680 Applied, Only 3,852 Made It: Customs Unveils Final Recruitment List

 

 

By Ajimati Samuel 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has concluded its 2024/2025 nationwide recruitment exercise, selecting 3,852 successful candidates from a record 573,680 applications, making it one of the most competitive recruitment processes in the agency's history.

Announcing the outcome at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed that only about 0.67 per cent of applicants secured employment, translating to fewer than one successful candidate for every 148 applications received.

According to Adeniyi, the successful candidates comprise 1,275 officers in the Superintendent Cadre, 367 in the Inspectorate Cadre, and 2,210 in the Customs Assistant Cadre.

He explained that the recruitment was conducted strictly in line with the Federal Character Principle, ensuring that all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were fairly represented.

Under the allocation formula, each state received 105 slots, consisting of 35 Superintendent positions, 10 Inspectorate positions, and 60 Customs Assistant positions, while the FCT was allotted 72 positions. He added that 839 women were among those selected.

The Comptroller-General said the recruitment exercise, first advertised in December 2024, took much longer than expected due to the unprecedented number of applications and the need to ensure transparency throughout the selection process.

He noted that every application underwent detailed screening before candidates progressed through multiple stages, including document verification, a nationwide computer-based test, and credential authentication using the National Identity database.

According to him, where discrepancies were discovered, candidates were given the opportunity for further verification instead of being automatically disqualified.

Despite making the final list, Adeniyi stated that successful applicants must still undergo medical examinations, physical fitness assessments, and final approval by the Nigeria Customs Service Board before their appointments are confirmed.

Addressing the hundreds of thousands of applicants who were not selected, the Customs boss urged them not to lose hope, stressing that many met the recruitment requirements but were affected by the limited number of available vacancies.

He acknowledged the patience and commitment shown by applicants throughout the lengthy recruitment process, describing the competition as one of the fiercest ever witnessed by the Service.

Customs Introduces Annual Recruitment

In a major policy announcement, Adeniyi revealed that the Nigeria Customs Service will now conduct annual recruitment exercises instead of the previous irregular hiring pattern.

He said recruitment for the 2026 intake is expected to commence later this year and will be completed within a single calendar year.

According to him, the new approach is designed to align recruitment with staff retirements and manpower needs, making employment into the Service more predictable, transparent, and efficient.

The annual recruitment system, he said, will eliminate prolonged waiting periods and ensure the Service maintains adequate staffing levels while strengthening operational efficiency across the country.