Customs Holds 2026 Officers’ Night Out to Promote Work-Life Balance, Inter-Agency Collaboration

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has emphasised the importance of work-life balance and inter-agency collaboration at the 2026 Officers’ Night Out, held at the Police Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja.

The event, organised to provide officers with an opportunity to unwind outside their professional responsibilities, also brought together personnel from different agencies to strengthen relationships and promote cooperation.

Speaking at the event, the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, said the initiative was designed to showcase the human side of officers in uniform and encourage them to maintain a healthy balance between their professional duties and personal lives.

Maiwada said officers, like other members of society, needed opportunities to relax, socialise and enjoy themselves despite the demands of their jobs.

He also described the event as an avenue for strengthening inter-agency relationships, noting that informal interactions among personnel could translate into more effective collaboration in the discharge of official responsibilities.

According to him, the 2026 edition builds on the successes recorded last year, with improvements in the level of competition, entertainment and prizes for participants.

He disclosed that the partnership with Innoson Motors had also been expanded, with two vehicles provided as prizes this year, compared with one electric vehicle at the previous edition.

Maiwada urged contestants to approach the competition with the right spirit, describing it as a healthy contest in which every participant stood to gain.

Although one contestant would emerge overall winner, he said the experience would ultimately promote unity, talent development and stronger relationships among participants.

Earlier, the Head of Media Relations of the NCS, Assistant Superintendent of Customs I, Jo Adejoh, said 47 contestants would participate in the first live audition, with the competition scheduled to hold across four Sundays.

He explained that the auditions would take place on November 1, 8, 15 and 22, 2026, with contestants progressively eliminated until nine finalists emerge.

According to him, 10 contestants would be eliminated after the November 8 audition, another 10 on November 15, while 21 would leave the competition on November 22.

He added that one contestant would return through a wildcard vote.

Adejoh said the selection process would be determined by 70 per cent public votes and 30 per cent judges’ scores, while Deloitte would manage the voting platform to ensure transparency.

He urged audience members to take note of the voting codes displayed during each contestant’s performance, adding that voting would commence immediately after the first live audition.

The contestants were expected to demonstrate their talents in performances lasting approximately two and a half minutes each.The 2026 Officers’ Night Out attracted personnel from military and para- military agencies and featured musical performances and other entertainment activities, providing officers with an opportunity to interact beyond their official duties.