The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed that it received a staggering 573,519 applications for the 3,927 available positions in the recently concluded 2024/2025 recruitment exercise, barely a week after the portal was opened.
The overwhelming number of applicants far exceeds the vacancies available, highlighting the competitive nature of the recruitment process.
Last week, Finance Minister Olawale Edun had announced that the Federal Government had approved the hiring of 3,927 officers to address gaps within the service and improve trade facilitation.
Providing an update on the recruitment process after the application deadline had passed, the NCS’s National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, confirmed that the total number of applicants surpassed half a million.
He outlined the breakdown of applicants, which included various categories for both general duty staff and support staff.
- Superintendent Cadre: 249,218 applicants for general duty positions.
- Superintendent Support Staff Cadre: 27,722 applicants with HNDs and university degrees.
- Inspector Cadre: 115,634 applicants for general duty roles, and 12,952 for support staff positions.
- Customs Assistants: 153,593 applicants for general duty and 14,400 for support staff, with categories depending on their secondary school certificates.
Maiwada explained that the recruitment process had been smooth and thorough, and he provided a detailed overview of the applicants in the various categories, emphasising the widespread interest in the available positions.
