The Nigeria Customs Service has completed the final stage of its 2025 recruitment exercise, with shortlisted applicants undergoing documentation, physical-fitness assessments and medical examinations at the Training and Doctrine Command in Gwagwalada, Abuja.
The screening exercise lasted two weeks, beginning on 7 September 2026 and ending on 19 September 2026. It covered applicants shortlisted for the Assistant Superintendent of Customs II, Inspectorate and Customs Assistant cadres.
Applicants were screened in batches to minimise congestion and ensure a more organised process at the centre.
The Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resource Development, Frank Onyeka, said the Service had reviewed the challenges recorded during the earlier phase and introduced measures to improve the process.
He said the adjustments helped reduce congestion and make the screening more efficient.
“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 urged applicants to maintain discipline and conduct themselves responsibly throughout the exercise.
The Deputy Comptroller of Customs and member of the coordinating team, Adamu Musa, said the revised arrangements had produced noticeable improvements.
He disclosed that almost 3,000 applicants had been screened without any reported casualty.
Musa said the use of personalised screening forms was one of the major changes introduced during the exercise.
Each shortlisted applicant received a form containing personal records and details required for sports, medical and documentation assessments, as well as a checklist of required items.
He explained that the forms enabled officers to verify information already captured in the recruitment system and reduced the possibility of unauthorised changes to candidates’ records.
“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,” Musa said.
The Customs official emphasised the need for continued recruitment and manpower development to enable the Service to meet its growing responsibilities.
He said the agency required a stronger workforce to effectively handle its duties in national security, border protection and other areas of service to the country.
Applicants were assessed based on requirements set by the Nigeria Customs Service, including age, physical fitness and drug-screening results.
Musa said applicants could be disqualified if they tested positive for hard drugs, exceeded the approved age limit or had physical conditions considered likely to affect their duties.
He noted, however, that final decisions on disqualification would be made by the management of the Service.
The Customs Service advised applicants and members of the public to obtain recruitment information only from its official website and verified social-media platforms.
The agency warned that applicants should be cautious of fraudulent messages and unofficial recruitment claims.