The Nigeria Customs Service
(NCS) is set to lose 1,516 officers nationwide over the next two years
following the release of statutory retirement lists covering 825 officers in
2026 and 691 officers in 2027.
The retirement notices were
contained in two internal circulars issued by the Service’s Human Resource and
Development Department and signed by the Comptroller of Establishment, A.A.
Bazuaye, on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human
Resources and Development.
According to the documents,
officers across various cadres—from Deputy Comptroller-General to Customs
Assistant II—will retire in accordance with Public Service Rules governing age
and years of service.
825 Officers to Exit in 2026
The first circular, dated
September 19, 2025, contains the final list of 825 officers scheduled for
retirement in 2026.
A breakdown of the figures
shows that the Deputy Superintendent of Customs cadre accounts for the highest
number of retirements with 285 officers, followed by the Superintendent of
Customs cadre with 226 officers.
Other affected categories
include:
691 More Officers to Retire in 2027
A second circular dated May
26, 2026, outlined a draft list of 691 officers expected to retire in 2027.
The Superintendent of
Customs cadre will record the highest number of exits with 200 officers,
followed by the Deputy Superintendent cadre with 193 officers.
Other categories include:
Mandatory Pre-Retirement Leave
The Service directed all
affected officers to proceed on mandatory pre-retirement leave three months
before their official retirement dates, in line with Public Service Rule 100238
and relevant Federal Government circulars.
The circulars also
instructed officers to submit their retirement notices to the
Comptroller-General of Customs and comply with all retirement procedures.
For the 2027 retirement
exercise, the Service opened a window for corrections and complaints, directing
officers with legitimate concerns to notify the Human Resources Department
before July 31, 2026.
Retirement Not Linked to Leadership
Succession
Reacting to speculation
surrounding the exercise, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on
Customs and Excise, Abejide Leke Joseph, dismissed claims that the retirements
were linked to succession plans within the Service.
According to him, the
retirements are purely statutory and based on the provisions of the civil
service rules.
“The Civil Service Rules are
very clear. Retirement after 35 years in service or upon attaining the age of
60 is a legal requirement and not a discretionary action. Suggestions that
officers are being retired to create vacancies for appointments are false and
misleading,” he said.
Abejide explained that the
unusually high number of retirements is largely due to a prolonged recruitment
gap that lasted about 16 years, resulting in many officers advancing through
the ranks at roughly the same pace and reaching retirement thresholds around
the same period.
He noted that service number
categories in the 41000, 42000 and 43000 series now occupy similar seniority
levels, creating a top-heavy structure within the organisation.
Adeniyi Gets Final Tenure Extension
The development comes
shortly after President Bola Tinubu approved a final six-month extension for
the tenure of Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi.
The extension, announced by
presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, allows Adeniyi to remain in office until
February 2027.
According to the Presidency,
the extension will enable the Customs boss to complete key reforms, including
the implementation of the National Single Window project and oversee an orderly
leadership transition within the Service.
During the transition
period, Adeniyi is also expected to work with the Nigeria Customs Service Board
on promotions and the retirement of officers who have reached the statutory age
or service limits.
The retirement exercise is
expected to significantly reshape the personnel structure of the Nigeria
Customs Service, with over 1,500 officers set to leave the organisation within
the next two years.
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