The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is preparing for one of the largest personnel exits in its recent history, with a total of 1,516 officers scheduled to retire between 2026 and 2027 under statutory retirement regulations.
The retirement exercise follows the release of official retirement lists by the Service’s Human Resources and Development (HRD) Department, covering 825 officers due for retirement in 2026 and an additional 691 officers expected to leave service in 2027.
According to the circulars issued by the NCS, the retirements will affect officers across all cadres, from Customs Assistant II to the highest-ranking officials, including Deputy Comptrollers-General (DCGs), Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs), and several Comptrollers.
825 Officers to Retire in 2026
The 2026 retirement list, contained in Circular No. HRD/2025/048 dated September 19, 2025, revealed that the Deputy Superintendent of Customs cadre will experience the highest number of retirements, with 285 officers exiting the Service. This is followed by the Superintendent of Customs cadre, which will lose 226 officers.
Additional 691 Officers to Exit in 2027
A separate circular, No. HRD/2026/020 dated May 26, 2026, identified 691 officers scheduled for retirement in 2027. The Superintendent of Customs cadre accounts for the largest share of departures with 200 officers, while 193 Deputy Superintendents of Customs are also expected to retire during the year.
The Service directed all affected officers to proceed on mandatory pre-retirement leave in line with Public Service Rules and submit three-month retirement notices to the Comptroller-General of Customs.
Under the guidelines, officers due for retirement are required to disengage from active service and commence pre-retirement leave three months before their official retirement dates.
The NCS also called on officers with concerns or discrepancies regarding the 2027 retirement list to forward their complaints to the office of the Deputy Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources and Development on or before July 31, 2026.
Retirement Exercise Follows Adeniyi’s Tenure Extension
The impending wave of retirements comes shortly after President Bola Tinubu approved a final six-month tenure extension for Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, allowing him to remain in office until February 2027.
Announcing the decision, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said the extension would enable Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms within the Service, particularly the implementation of the National Single Window project, while ensuring a smooth leadership transition.
According to the Presidency, the extended tenure will also allow the Comptroller-General to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service Board on critical personnel matters, including promotions and the compulsory retirement of officers who have attained the age of 60 years or completed 35 years of service.
Customs Reforms and Succession Planning
Adeniyi, who joined the Nigeria Customs Service in the late 1980s after graduating from Obafemi Awolowo University, was appointed Comptroller-General by President Tinubu in June 2023. Since assuming office, he has spearheaded several modernization and trade facilitation reforms aimed at improving efficiency and revenue generation.
Industry observers believe the retirement of more than 1,500 officers over the next two years will significantly reshape the Service’s workforce structure and create opportunities for promotions and leadership succession across various commands nationwide.
As the Nigeria Customs Service navigates this major transition, attention will remain focused on how the agency balances institutional continuity, personnel management, and ongoing reform initiatives amid one of its most extensive retirement exercises in recent years.
