The Nigeria Customs Service has announced a major change to its recruitment process, confirming that it will now conduct recruitment exercises every year instead of at irregular intervals.
According to Punch, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, made the announcement during a press briefing at the service headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday while unveiling the final list of successful candidates for the 2024/2025 recruitment exercise.
Adeniyi said the annual recruitment model is designed to improve workforce planning, replace retiring officers more efficiently, and provide young Nigerians with predictable employment opportunities.
He explained that the service had moved away from a system where applicants often waited several years before another recruitment exercise was announced. Under the new arrangement, the Nigeria Customs recruitment 2026 exercise will begin later this year and is expected to be completed within a single calendar year, from advertisement to the release of the final list.
The Customs boss attributed the delays experienced during the 2024/2025 recruitment exercise to the development of a comprehensive recruitment framework. He said the service invested significant time and resources in establishing screening, verification and recruitment systems that will support future annual exercises.
Adeniyi noted that the new structure would enable the service to anticipate staffing needs based on expected retirements rather than waiting for manpower shortages before recruiting.
He added that the annual process would also give unsuccessful applicants greater certainty, allowing them to prepare for the next recruitment cycle instead of waiting indefinitely for another opportunity.
The announcement came as the Nigeria Customs Service concluded its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise, which attracted widespread interest across the country.
A total of 3,852 candidates received appointment offers, comprising 1,275 in the Superintendent Cadre, 367 in the Inspectorate Cadre and 2,210 in the Customs Assistant Cadre.
