The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has cautioned applicants in its ongoing 2025 recruitment exercise to disregard a viral social media post claiming to show the number of shortlisted candidates per state, describing the publication as fake and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday via its official X handle, titled “Unverified Social Media Post on 2025 Nigeria Customs Service Recruitment Exercise,” the Service said the information did not emanate from the NCS or any of its authorised communication platforms.
“The Service wishes to categorically state that the publication did not originate from the Nigeria Customs Service or any of its authorised communication channels,” the statement read. “Members of the public, particularly applicants, are advised to disregard the information in its entirety.”
The Customs Service reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a transparent and merit-driven recruitment process in line with global standards and the principle of Federal Character.
“All official updates are communicated directly to shortlisted applicants through the Recruitment Update Portal at https://updates.customs.gov.ng,” the Service added.
Providing an update on the exercise, the NCS said the recruitment, which began on December 27, 2024, attracted 573,523 applications across the Superintendent, Inspectorate, and Customs Assistant cadres. After documentary screening, 286,697 applicants were shortlisted for the first phase of the Computer-Based Test (CBT), conducted in batches to ensure fairness and system efficiency.
While all cadres participated in the initial test, only successful candidates in the Superintendent Cadre advanced to the second phase, which is being held at designated centres across the six geopolitical zones.
Reacting to the viral post, former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, condemned the circulation of the fake shortlist, describing it as an attempt to discredit the recruitment process.
“It’s unfair and unconscionable for some persons to concoct a list purported to be the outcome of the Customs recruitment exercise,” Sani said in a post on X. “Without doubt, the fake viral list was intended to disrupt the process and instigate discontent. Now that the Service has officially dismissed the list, applicants can have some relief.”
