newslifeonline

Customs adopts annual recruitment, unveils 3,852 successful candidates

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday announced plans to commence annual recruitment, saying the new system would improve manpower planning and ensure the agency maintains adequate staffing levels as officers retire.

Comptroller-General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi made the announcement at a news conference at the service's headquarters in Abuja, where he also unveiled the final list of 3,852 successful candidates from the 2024/2025 recruitment exercise.

Adeniyi said the annual recruitment cycle would replace the practice of conducting employment exercises only when staffing shortages became critical.

"Annual recruitment will enable the service to align its manpower planning with anticipated retirements rather than responding to vacancies after they occur," he said.

According to him, the policy is aimed at ensuring continuity in Customs operations while strengthening the agency's capacity to carry out its core responsibilities, including revenue generation, border security, anti-smuggling operations and trade facilitation.

The Customs chief said the 3,852 successful applicants emerged after completing the various stages of the recruitment process, which included screening and other assessments.

He added that the successful candidates would receive further instructions on documentation, medical examinations and training before being deployed to different formations across the country.

Adeniyi said the recruitment exercise was conducted transparently and in line with the Federal Character Principle to ensure equitable representation from across Nigeria.

The Nigeria Customs Service is one of the country's key revenue-generating agencies and plays a central role in enforcing trade regulations, securing Nigeria's borders and combating the smuggling of prohibited goods. The introduction of annual recruitment is expected to provide a more predictable and sustainable approach to workforce development as the agency expands its operational capacity.