By Emeka Okoroanyanwu
Highly impressed by the humongous revenue haul of over N5 trillion into the national coffers in 2024, the Customs Board has approved the request of the Nigeria Customs Service to recruit additional 3,927 officers in 2025 to bridge the huge personnel gap in the service.
Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, had lamented the dearth of officers in the Service during the 2024 CGC conference in Abuja, which he attributed to the high turn over of retirement of senior officers.
Adewale had disclosed at the conference that 60% of management team of Customs exited the service in 2022, while 36% left in 2023, and in 2024, 76% also left the service, thus necessitating a change in management composition.
“With projections indicating another 40% of our management staff retiring in 2025 we recognize the urgent need for strategic intervention,” he said.
The Customs Board, had during its 61st quarterly meeting in Abuja on December 18th, 2025 responded to the call for adjustment in personnel management by approving the recruitment exercise and the recently released appointments of new management staff and promotions of other categories of officers.
Minister of Finance, Wale Edun who was obviously impressed by the achievements of the Nigeria Customs under the leadership of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi was moved to accede to the requests of the CGC as more personnel are needed to carry out its functions.
During the meeting, Edun also acknowledged the crucial role the Customs is expected to play in funding part of the N48 trillion 2025 Nigeria Federal Government budget.
