Retirement bombshell: Five DCGs to lead 1,516 officers out of Customs

The Nigeria Customs Service is set to experience a reduction of 1,516 officers across the country over the next two years, as indicated by the statutory retirement lists that include 825 officers for 2026 and 691 officers for 2027.

These retirement notifications were detailed in two confidential circulars released by the Human Resource and Development Department of the Service, with the signature of the Comptroller, Establishment, A.A. Bazuaye, on behalf of the Deputy Comptroller-General for Human Resources and Development.

The documents specify that officers from all ranks, ranging from Deputy Comptroller-General to Customs Assistant II, will retire in accordance with statutory provisions.

The first document, Circular No. HRD/2025/048, dated September 19, 2025, presents what is referred to as the final list of 825 officers slated for retirement in 2026.

The breakdown reveals that the Deputy Superintendent of Customs category comprises 285 officers, followed by the Superintendent of Customs with 226 officers. Other impacted categories 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.

A subsequent Circular No. HRD/2026/020, dated May 26, 2026, provided a draft list of 691 officers who are scheduled for statutory retirement in 2027.

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 officers were additionally instructed to ensure adherence and submit their three-month pre-retirement notice to the Comptroller-General of Customs as required.

The circulars indicated that, "I am instructed to send the attached list regarding the aforementioned subject as a retirement notice to all personnel concerned. In accordance with the Public Service Rule (PSR) No. 100238 and Federal Government circular No. 63216/S.I/X/T; CR 1,/2001/5 dated 20/03/2001, all officers eligible for retirement are to disengage from active service and commence their pre-retirement leave three months prior to their official retirement date."

The 2027 circular also provided an opportunity for grievances and amendments, stating that "any identified errors, omissions, or valid complaints related to the attached list should be submitted to the office of the Deputy Comptroller-General (HRD) no later than 31 July 2026."

To facilitate distribution, Zonal Coordinators, Area Controllers, and Unit Heads were tasked with disseminating the lists to all officers affected.

Among those affected are: Deputy Comptrollers-General Omale (SVC No. 41148), who retired on June 7, 2026; Nnadi (SVC No. 43193), whose retirement commenced on March 3, 2026; Chiroma (SVC No. 42988), who retired on September 23, 2026; and Adeola MRS (SVC No. 42972) and Niagwan (SVC No. 41524), both set to retire on December 23, 2026.

Additionally, the Assistant Comptrollers-General impacted by the 2026 retirement initiative include Egwuh (SVC No. 38991), who retired on March 14, 2026; Umoh (SVC No. 41351), who left 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 is scheduled for 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.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise, Abejide Leke Joseph, said the retirements were statutory and not connected to reports surrounding the appointment of a new Comptroller-General of Customs.

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.

“There is a 16-year gap of non-recruitment and stagnant promotion. As a result, officers of 41000, 42000, and 43000 service numbers categories have risen through the ranks almost simultaneously and now occupy similar levels of seniority,” Abejide said.

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 revealed that over 1,500 officers are anticipated to retire in accordance with Public Service Rule 100238, emphasizing that this process is a natural and legally required procedure, not a result of any leadership succession plan.

Attempts to receive a comment from Abdullahi Maiwada, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Customs Service, regarding the strategy for replacing the retiring officers were unsuccessful at the time of this report.

On Friday, President Bola Tinubu approved a final six-month extension of tenure for Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, allowing him to remain in his position until February 2027.

This extension was communicated in a statement released on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The statement indicated that Adeniyi's initial tenure extension was set to end on August 1, 2026, but Tinubu sanctioned an additional six months to allow him to finalize essential reforms within the Customs Service.

Onanuga stated that the extension was granted "to enable him to consolidate the implementation of the National Single Window and ensure an orderly succession in the service."

The presidential spokesperson further noted that during this transition period, Adeniyi would collaborate with the Nigeria Customs Service Board to manage significant personnel issues.

"During the transition period, Adeniyi, in conjunction with the Nigeria Customs Service Board, will ensure the promotion of qualified officers to the rank of Comptroller of Customs and the mandatory retirement of officers who have reached 60 years of age or have completed 35 years of service," the statement elaborated.

Adeniyi began his career with the Nigeria Customs Service after graduating from Obafemi Awolowo University in the late 1980s and has progressively advanced through the ranks of the service.

He became a Deputy Comptroller in 2012, was promoted to Comptroller in 2017, Assistant Comptroller-General in 2020, and Acting Deputy Comptroller-General in January 2023. President Tinubu subsequently appointed him Comptroller-General of Customs in June 2023.

The six-month extension is expected to provide continuity for ongoing reforms within the Customs Service while paving the way for a smooth leadership transition.