The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has debunked a viral social media post claiming to provide a breakdown of shortlisted candidates per state for the final stage of the 2025 recruitment exercise.
The fake post, which has been widely shared across various online platforms, allegedly detailed the number of successful candidates under the Superintendent Cadre. However, the NCS has come out strongly to distance itself from the publication.
In a public disclaimer released on Sunday, the Service clarified that the document in circulation did not emanate from its official communication channels or any authorised sources.
According to the statement, the attention of the Customs hierarchy was drawn to the false information after several inquiries from anxious applicants seeking confirmation of its authenticity.
The Service noted that while the recruitment exercise for 2025 is still ongoing, no such list has been released or endorsed by the NCS management.
It urged the public, particularly applicants who took part in the ongoing recruitment, to disregard the misleading information, describing it as a deliberate attempt to create confusion and misinform unsuspecting candidates.
Providing context, the Customs Service explained that the 2025 recruitment process officially commenced with a public advertisement published on December 27, 2024. That call for applications attracted a total of 573,523 submissions across the Superintendent, Inspectorate, and Customs Assistant cadres.
After a rigorous documentary screening, the NCS shortlisted 286,697 applicants who were invited to participate in the first phase of the Computer-Based Test (CBT). The Service said the examination was conducted in batches to ensure fairness and efficiency across all states.
While all cadres participated in the initial CBT, the statement clarified that only successful candidates under the Superintendent Cadre were selected to proceed to the second phase of the test.
This next phase, it explained, would be held at designated centres spread across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, ensuring candidates are tested within regions that correspond with their states of origin.
The NCS emphasized that this zonal arrangement underscores its commitment to transparency, merit, and inclusiveness in all stages of its recruitment process.
It also reassured Nigerians that all official updates concerning the recruitment exercise are communicated directly to applicants through the NCS Recruitment Update Portal — https://updates.customs.gov.ng.
Reiterating its zero-tolerance stance toward misinformation, the Service warned that anyone who circulates or acts on unverified recruitment materials does so at their own risk.
“The Nigeria Customs Service remains firmly committed to a free, fair, and credible selection process, consistent with global best practices and in line with the Federal Character principle,” the statement read in part.
The Customs authorities therefore appealed to members of the public to rely solely on official communication platforms for accurate information and avoid being misled by social media speculations designed to exploit applicants’ hopes.
