Customs completes 2025 recruitment screening, screens nearly 3,000 candidates

By Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has concluded the final phase of its 2025 recruitment exercise, with nearly 3,000 shortlisted candidates screened through documentation, physical fitness assessments and medical examinations at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Gwagwalada, Abuja.

The two-week exercise, which commenced on Monday, September 7, 2026, ended on Saturday, September 19, with candidates shortlisted for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II (ASCII), Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres participating in the screening.

The candidates were screened in batches as part of measures to ensure an orderly exercise, reduce congestion and improve the efficiency of the process.

Onyeka

Speaking on the exercise, the Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, Frank Onyeka, said the Service had introduced measures to address challenges identified during an earlier phase of the screening.

He said the measures were aimed at improving coordination and ensuring a smoother experience for candidates.

“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 candidates throughout the recruitment process.

A Deputy Comptroller of Customs and member of the coordinating team, Adamu Musa, said the exercise had recorded significant improvements, with close to 3,000 candidates screened without any casualty.

Musa attributed the improvement partly to the introduction of personalised screening forms containing candidates’ details and records across the different stages of the exercise.

According to him, the new system allows officials to verify candidates’ information against records already captured in the Service’s system, reducing the risk of alterations and improving the integrity of the screening process.

“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,” he explained.

Musa said the personalised forms contain candidates’ names and other details required for sports and physical fitness assessments, medical examinations, documentation and other stages of the screening.

He explained that officials could therefore verify the information presented by candidates against the records already contained in the system.

The Customs officer also emphasised the importance of continuous manpower development, noting that the increasing responsibilities of the Service in border protection, national security, trade facilitation and other areas require a properly trained and adequately equipped workforce.

He said strengthening the human resource base of the NCS remained important to enabling the Service respond effectively to its evolving responsibilities.

Musa further disclosed that shortlisted candidates were assessed against established criteria, including age, physical fitness and drug screening.

He said candidates who test positive for prohibited drugs, exceed the stipulated age limit or have physical conditions that could affect their ability to perform their duties may be disqualified, subject to the final decision of the Service’s management.

He urged candidates to comply with the requirements of the exercise and provide accurate information during the screening process.

Musa also advised prospective applicants and members of the public to rely only on the NCS’s official communication channels for recruitment information.

He warned candidates against fraudulent messages and individuals seeking to exploit the recruitment exercise, urging them to verify information through the Service’s official website and verified social media platforms.

The conclusion of the screening marks another stage in the NCS’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its manpower base and improve the transparency, coordination and efficiency of its recruitment process.