Over 1,500 Customs Officers Set for Statutory Retirement in 2028

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is undergoing a major personnel transition as 1,516 officers nationwide are scheduled to retire from active service over the next two years. Official documents from the human resource department reveal that 825 officers will exit the service by the end of 2026, followed by another 691 officers in 2027. The sweeping departures span all ranks, from senior executive cadres down to junior customs assistants.

Among those exiting in 2026 are five Deputy Comptrollers-General (DCGs) and 13 Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs). High-ranking departures scheduled for this year include DCG Omale and DCG Nnadi, who have already stepped down, alongside DCG Chiroma, DCG Adeola, and DCG Niagwan, who are slated to retire later this year. Legislative oversight officials clarified that the high volume of concurrent retirements is entirely statutory, refuting any rumors that senior personnel are being forced out to accommodate upcoming leadership changes.

The spike in retirements is attributed to historical systemic issues within the organization, notably a prolonged 16-year pause in recruitment and promotion stagnation in the past. This gap meant that large cohorts of officers entered and advanced through the ranks at nearly the same time.

Under current civil service rules, personnel must retire upon reaching 60 years of age or completing 35 years of service. The concentration of senior staff reaching these thresholds simultaneously has created a temporary top-heavy structure that is now naturally clearing out.

Affected officers have been instructed to proceed on mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave in line with standard federal public service rules. For the 2027 draft retirement list, the service has established a review window closing on July 31, 2026, allowing personnel to submit complaints or corrections regarding omissions or data errors.

To prevent operational disruption during this mass exit, President Bola Tinubu has approved a final six-month tenure extension for the current Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi. Initially scheduled to step down in August 2026, Adeniyi will now remain in office until February 2027.

The presidency indicated that this extension is intended to stabilize the leadership structure, consolidate the ongoing rollout of the National Single Window project, and ensure an orderly succession plan by working with the Customs Service Board to promote eligible replacement officers.