The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has concluded the final phase of its 2025 recruitment exercise, with shortlisted candidates completing documentation, physical fitness assessments and medical screening in Abuja.
The NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
Maiwada said the exercise was conducted at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Gwagwalada, and lasted two weeks.
He said candidates shortlisted for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II (ASCII), Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres participated in the exercise.
According to him, the screening was conducted in batches to ensure an orderly process and reduce congestion at the centre.
Speaking on the outcome of the exercise, Frank Onyeka, Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, said measures were introduced to address gaps identified during the initial phase.
Onyeka said the measures were aimed at improving efficiency and streamlining the screening process, while stressing the need for discipline and responsibility among candidates.
Similarly, Adamu Musa, Deputy Comptroller of Customs and a member of the coordinating team, said the exercise recorded significant improvements, with nearly 3,000 candidates screened without any casualty.
Musa attributed the improvement to the introduction of personalised screening forms containing candidates’ records for the various stages of the assessment.
“Any candidate that has been shortlisted has a form designed especially for him, unlike in the past where you come, they issue you a form, and then some people along the way go and even change some of the records.
“These forms come with the candidates’ records, including their names and details for sports, medical, documentation and the checklist of required items.
“So, once the candidate comes, you just verify what you already have from the system,” he explained.
Musa also stressed the importance of continuous manpower development to strengthen the NCS’s capacity to meet its evolving responsibilities in national security, border protection and other services to the nation.
He said the growing demands on the service made it necessary to continually improve its workforce.
According to him, candidates were assessed based on criteria set by the service, including age, physical fitness and drug screening.
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He explained that candidates who tested positive for hard drugs, exceeded the stipulated age limit or had physical conditions that could affect their duties might be disqualified, subject to the final decision of the NCS management.
Musa advised candidates and members of the public to verify recruitment information through the NCS’s official website and verified social media platforms to avoid falling victim to fraudulent messages.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NCS had announced an annual recruitment cycle and released the final list of 3,852 successful candidates for its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise on Aug. 4.
The exercise attracted 573,680 applications for 3,852 positions, with 1,275 candidates selected for the Superintendent Cadre, 367 for the Inspectorate Cadre and 2,210 for the Customs Assistant Cadre.
