Customs Concludes 2025 Recruitment Screening, Screens Nearly 3,000 Candidates

By Zainab Uzomah| Abuja

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has concluded the final phase of its 2025 recruitment exercise, with nearly 3,000 shortlisted candidates screened during a two-week exercise in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The screening, which ran from September 7 to 19, 2026, involved candidates shortlisted for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres.Held at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), the exercise covered documentation, physical fitness assessments and medical screening, with candidates processed in batches to reduce congestion and ensure a more orderly experience.

Speaking on the outcome, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, Frank Onyeka, said the Service had acted on shortcomings identified during the earlier stages of the recruitment process.“We have put measures in place to reduce congestion and ensure a smoother process this week.

The gaps identified last week have been addressed, and we do not expect them to recur this week,” Onyeka said. He also stressed the need for discipline and responsibility among the candidates as they went through the various stages of the screening.

A member of the coordinating team, Deputy Comptroller of Customs Adamu Musa, said the process had recorded significant improvement, noting that close to 3,000 candidates had been screened without any casualty.

According to him, one of the key changes was the introduction of personalised screening forms containing candidates’ details and records for the different stages of the exercise.“Any candidate that has been shortlisted has a form designed especially for him,” Musa said, explaining that the system was designed to make it easier for officials to verify candidates’ information and reduce the possibility of alteration of records during the process.

He said the forms contain candidates’ details for sports, medical examination, documentation and other requirements, allowing officials to cross-check information already captured in the recruitment system.

Musa said the experience had also highlighted the need for continuous manpower development within the Customs Service, given its expanding responsibilities in border protection, national security and other areas of national service.

He added that candidates were assessed against established criteria, including age, physical fitness and drug screening. Candidates who test positive for hard drugs, fall outside the prescribed age bracket or have physical conditions considered capable of affecting their duties may be disqualified, subject to the final decision of the Service’s management.

Musa, however, urged candidates and members of the public to rely only on the NCS official website and verified social media platforms for recruitment information.

He warned that reliance on unofficial messages could expose applicants to fraudulent recruitment schemes, particularly as the recruitment process attracts a large number of young Nigerians seeking opportunities to join the Service.