The Nigeria Customs Service will 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.
According to the documents, officers across all cadres, from the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General to Customs Assistant II, will exit the service in line with statutory retirement provisions.
The first document, Circular No. HRD/2025/048 dated September 19, 2025, contains what was described as the final list of 825 officers scheduled to retire in 2026.
The breakdown shows that the Deputy Superintendent of Customs cadre accounts for 285 officers, followed by the Superintendent of Customs with 226 officers. Other affected cadres include Assistant Superintendent of Customs I with 64 officers, Chief Customs Officer with 53, Deputy Customs Officer with 51, Assistant Customs Officer with 46, Chief Superintendent of Customs with 61, Inspector of Customs with eight, Assistant Superintendent of Customs II with 10, Customs Assistant I with one, Customs Assistant II with two, Assistant Comptroller-General with 13 and Deputy Comptroller-General with five officers.
The list indicates that the Superintendent of Customs cadre will account for the highest number of retirements with 200 officers, followed by the Deputy Superintendent of Customs cadre with 193 officers. Others include Deputy Customs Officer with 81 officers, Chief Superintendent of Customs with 68, Assistant Customs Officer with 57, Assistant Superintendent of Customs I with 39, Chief Customs Officer with 38, Assistant Superintendent of Customs II with four, Customs Assistant I with four, Customs Assistant II with four, Inspector of Customs with two and Assistant Comptroller-General with four officers.
In both circulars, the Service directed affected officers to proceed on mandatory pre-retirement leave in accordance with Public Service Rule 100238 and Federal Government Circular No. 63216/S.I/X/T; CR 1/2001/5 of March 20, 2001.
The circulars stated that, “I am directed to forward the attached list on the above subject matter as retirement notice to all affected personnel. In accordance with the Public Service Rule (PSR) No. 100238 and Federal Government circular No.63216/S.I/X/T; CR 1,/2001/5 of 20/03/2001, all affected officers due for retirement are to disengage from the active service and proceed on pre-retirement leave, three months prior to their effective date of retirement.”
The 2027 circular also opened a window for complaints and corrections, stating that “any observed error, omission or legitimate complaints arising from the attached list should be forwarded to the office of the Deputy Comptroller-General (HRD) on or before 31 July 2026.”
To ensure dissemination, Zonal Coordinators, Area Controllers and Unit Heads were directed to circulate the lists to all affected officers.
Among Assistant Comptrollers-General affected by the 2026 retirement exercise are Egwuh (SVC No. 38991), who retired on March 14, 2026; Umoh (SVC No. 41351), who exited the Service on February 2, 2026; Mohammed (SVC Nos. 41394 and 41395), both of whom retired on June 24, 2026; and Abe (SVC No. 41110), whose retirement date is August 21, 2026.
Others are Olomu (SVC No. 41145), Olaniyan (SVC No. 41197), Yusuf (SVC No. 41257), Oladeji (SVC No. 41308) and Gaji (SVC No. 41328), all scheduled to retire on September 24, 2026. Also on the list are Adebakin (SVC No. 41670) and Bomodi (SVC No. 42758), both due for retirement on September 23, 2026, as well as Nyam (SVC No. 40428) and Abubakar (SVC No. 40139), whose retirement dates are October 1, 2026, among others.
In a statement on Sunday, Abejide dismissed allegations that the purported appointment of Deputy Comptroller I.D. Olorunfemi as the next Comptroller-General would trigger the forced retirement of senior officers.
“The Civil Service Rules are very clear. Retirement after 35 years in service or at the age of 60 is not by compulsion; it is by law. Therefore, suggestions that any officer would be retired to create room for another appointment are false and misleading,” he said.
The lawmaker attributed the large number of retirements to a prolonged recruitment gap in the Service.
He explained that the situation had created a top-heavy structure within the Service, with many officers reaching retirement age or service limits at about the same period.
Abejide disclosed that more than 1,500 officers were expected to retire under the provisions of Public Service Rule 100238, stressing that the exercise was a natural and legally mandated process rather than a consequence of any leadership succession arrangement.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Nigeria Customs Service spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, on plans to replace the retiring officers were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
The extension was announced in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, Adeniyi’s first tenure extension was due to expire on August 1, 2026, but Tinubu approved an additional six months to enable him to complete key reforms within the Customs Service.
Onanuga said the extension was granted “to enable him to consolidate the implementation of the National Single Window and ensure an orderly succession in the service.”
