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Nigeria Customs Service recruitment and disqualification

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-19 22:38 UTC → 2026-10-24 10:17 UTC · added removed

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) conducted its 2025 recruitment exercise in September 2026. The process involved a two-week final phase of 2026, involving documentation, medical screenings, and physical fitness assessments held at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in Gwagwalada, Abuja. Starting on September 7, the screening targeted candidates for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II (ASCII), Inspectorate, and Customs Assistant cadres. To manage the volume of applicants, candidates were screened in batches organized by their states of origin. Frank Onyeka, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs for Human Resource Development, noted that evaluations included attitude, discipline, and conduct. The exercise concluded on September 19, with nearly 3,000 shortlisted candidates completing the requirements. Officials, including Deputy Comptroller Adamu Musa, reported improvements intended to reduce congestion and prevent record tampering through the use of personalized screening forms. Following the conclusion of the screenings, the NCS addressed concerns from over 500 applicants regarding the status of their appointments. Some candidates reported uncertainty after training invitations reportedly ceased, with some claiming they had resigned from previous jobs in anticipation of training. appointment status. Deputy Comptroller and spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada clarified that appearing on a published recruitment list does not constitute a final appointment. He explained that guarantee an appointment, as candidates must successfully clear all final stages, including physical examinations, stages before being admitted to the training college and commissioned as officers. commissioned. In October 2026, Comptroller-General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi ordered a case-by-case reassessment of 397 applicants who were disqualified during the screening process. This review follows complaints from candidates who were shortlisted but prevented from attending screening. While the training college. Spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada NCS stated the review aims to address “genuine grievances,” though he reiterated that these disqualifications were previously linked due to substance abuse, medical concerns, age discrepancies, and document irregularities. irregularities, the agency also noted that some applicants were removed for attempting to use “backdoor channels” to secure positions. The process has faced significant scrutiny from the Federal Character Commission (FCC). Abdulwasiu Bawa-Allah, Chairman of the FCC’s Financial Services Committee, called for an immediate suspension of the recruitment, citing alleged violations of federal character principles and a lack of oversight. The FCC noted that the commission was not invited to monitor the process and alleged that many candidates who completed all stages were not invited for training, leading to claims of manipulation. Despite these allegations, the NCS has defended the selection of 3,852 successful candidates from 573,680 applicants as a merit-based and geographically balanced process.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-24 10:17 UTC Nigeria Customs Service recruitment and disqualification
  2. 2026-10-19 22:38 UTC Nigeria Customs Service recruitment and disqualification
  3. 2026-10-08 05:23 UTC Nigeria Customs Service recruitment exercise
  4. 2026-09-23 09:07 UTC Nigeria Customs Service recruitment exercise

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