Over Half a Million Applicants Jostle for 3,927 Customs Jobs

Over Half a Million Applicants Jostle for 3,927 Customs Jobs

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja 

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed that a total of 573,523 applications were received for the 3,927 vacancies declared in its ongoing recruitment exercise.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Dr. Abdullahi Maiwada, who described the figure as a remarkable turnout reflecting the strong interest of Nigerians in serving through the Customs Service.

According to him, the vacancies were advertised on December 27, 2024, across the Superintendent, Inspectorate, and Customs Assistant cadres. He noted that after a rigorous document verification exercise, 286,697 applicants were shortlisted to participate in the next phase of the recruitment.

Maiwada explained that the second stage will involve a Computer-Based Test (CBT) scheduled to hold online from September 14 to 21, 2025.

He stressed that the adoption of the CBT method highlights the Service’s commitment to transparency, accessibility, and fairness.

“Candidates will be required to undertake the test at any location of their choice, provided there is reliable internet access. However, the test must be taken using a laptop or desktop computer with a webcam, as the application is not mobile-enabled,” the statement read in part.

He further noted that a facial verification process will be conducted during login and warned that the CBT application is sensitive to noise and movement. “Excessive body movement, whispering, or background distractions may result in automatic logout by the system. Similarly, switching between windows during the test will be flagged as malpractice and could lead to disqualification,” he cautioned.

To ensure adequate preparation, Maiwada said a mandatory pre-test would be conducted two days before the main examination, with separate links provided for both the pre-test and the actual CBT. He added that candidates applying for the Superintendent Cadre (Level 8) would be required to sit for an additional CBT at a later stage.

Reassuring applicants and stakeholders of the integrity of the process, the Customs spokesman emphasised that the exercise remains merit-driven.

“Successful candidates will be duly informed of subsequent phases through the Service’s official communication channels. We urge applicants to rely solely on verified platforms of the Service, as the NCS will neither request any form of payment nor conduct recruitment activities on social media,” he stated.