- Detailed application breakdown shows fierce competition for limited slots.
- NCS highlights surge in interest as government greenlights expansion.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reported an overwhelming response to its 2024/2025 recruitment exercise, with 573,519 applications received within just a week of opening its portal. This far exceeds the 3,927 available positions approved by the Federal Government.
Finance Minister Olawale Edun had previously announced the recruitment approval as part of efforts to strengthen the NCS. Providing an update, NCS National Public Relations Officer (PRO) Abdullahi Maiwada shared a detailed breakdown of the applications across the various cadres:
- Superintendent Cadre (General Duty): 249,218 applicants with university degrees or HNDs.
- Superintendent Cadre (Support Staff): 27,722 applicants with similar qualifications.
- Inspector Cadre (General Duty): 115,634 applicants with NCEs or National Diplomas.
- Inspector Cadre (Support Staff): 12,952 applicants.
- Customs Assistant Cadre (General Duty): 153,593 applicants with secondary school certificates, including Mathematics and English.
- Customs Assistant Cadre (Support Staff): 14,400 applicants with secondary school certificates but without Mathematics and English.
Maiwada described the interest as unprecedented, reflecting the high demand for public sector employment amid limited opportunities. “The staggering numbers demonstrate the level of competition and the desire of many Nigerians to serve in the NCS,” he said.
The recruitment process, aimed at filling positions in both general duty and support staff categories, is expected to follow strict screening and selection criteria to ensure fairness and transparency.
