Planned mass retirements are set to reduce staffing at Nigeria’s Customs Service, with 1,516 officers due to exit over the next two years. The service outlined the timeline in two internal circulars that list those scheduled to retire in 2026 and 2027.
Quick facts
- 1,516 customs officers are expected to retire within the next two years.
- Retirements are split across 2026 (825 officers) and 2027 (691 officers).
- The circulars were issued by the Human Resource and Development Department and signed by Comptroller Establishment A.A. Bazuaye on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller-General for Human Resources and Development.
- The notice covers officers across all cadres, from deputy comptroller-general down to customs assistant II.
- Affected officers are directed to disengage from active duty and proceed on pre-retirement leave three months before their retirement dates.
The circulars, issued from the Human Resource and Development Department and authenticated by Comptroller Establishment A.A. Bazuaye acting for the Deputy Comptroller-General in Human Resources and Development, set out the names of officers impacted by the retirement process. The notice was framed as a statutory retirement announcement to personnel on the relevant lists.
The Service also cited applicable rules governing exit procedures. It said the officers listed for retirement must leave active service and move to pre-retirement leave three months ahead of their effective retirement dates, referencing the Public Service Rule identified as PSR No. 100238 and a federal government circular marked 63216/S.I/X/T; CR 1,/2001/5 dated 20/03/2001.
Those scheduled to retire span the full range of grades. The document indicates that the planned exit will touch positions from deputy comptroller-general level down to customs assistant II, meaning the staffing reduction is not confined to a single seniority band.
Policy change and political undercurrent
The retirement announcement arrives shortly after President Bola Tinubu approved a new six-month extension for the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. With that approval in place, officials expect Adeniyi’s tenure to end around the time the extension period runs out, creating a potential leadership vacancy within six months.
Alongside the staffing timeline, political allegations have emerged about the House Committee on Customs chair, Leke Abejide, and claims that he is seeking to place relatives into roles within the agency. Abejide publicly rejected the allegation, dismissing the claim that he was attempting to install family members.
