The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is an independent customs service under the supervisory oversight of the Nigerian Ministry of Finance, responsible for the collection of customs revenue, Facilitation of both national and international trade and anti-smuggling activities. This post will provide information on the list of the 13 Nigerian Custom Service ranks and also provide answers to questions regarding the Nigerian Custom Service.
The Nigerian government claims that the service in recent times has redeemed its image from a Corruption riddled government agency to a new organization, that has cleaned itself of corrupt practices pointing to the fact that since the year 2017 its revenue contribution to the country continue to rise above one trillion Naira annually. Despite the claims of the government that the reputation of the service has improved from a corrupt government agency to an agency that has imbibed the spirit of selflessness to the country over self enrichment of its officers, several examples of extensive bribery and corruption allegations still exist. One example (cited by the government) of an incidence that demonstrated a new customs service was the rejection of the sum of $415,000 bribe by an official of the service Bashir Abubakar, being the money offered to him in order to facilitate the release of containers of dangerous drugs at Apapa Port in Lagos. The Nigeria Customs service is known to have a reputation that has been marred by numerous corruption and fraud scandals across the years. According to Transparency International's 2010 Global Corruption Barometer, more than half of local households surveyed attested to paying bribes to NCS officers in 2009. To date, compromised staff, complex regulations and bureaucracy surrounding the import and export of goods has nurtured an environment in which bribes are commonly paid. Several companies are also believed to undervalue their goods upon importation to avoid penalties. Yet other companies, operating in the informal economy, resort to smuggling as a means of avoiding legal trade. The Nigerian customs service is a paramilitary organization established over a century ago during the British Colonial Administration in 1891. The service was made up of two divisions namely Maritime division was responsible for collecting import and excise duties and other functions while the Preventive Division was to enforce duties which included prevention of smuggling as well as arrest and prosecution of smugglers. The major restructuring took place in 1985 as the Department was removed from the Federal Ministry of Finance to Internal Affairs after the government’s accepted the recommendations of the Study Group on Customs and Smuggling which was headed by Alhaji Yahaya Gusau which led to the creation of the Customs, Immigration and Prisons Services Board with the promulgation of Decree No. 14 of 11th January 1986.
The ranking system in the Nigerian Customs Service is quite different from other Military/paramilitary organizsations and as such, the ranks shown below are specifically for senior officers and junior officers in the Nigerian Custom Service.
- Comptroller-General of Customs
This is the highest rank of the Nigerian Customs which is held by only one person in the whole country at a time. The Comptroller General is usually appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for a renewable tenure of four years
- Deputy Comptroller-General
This is the second highest rank in the customs and it is held by few top officers who serve as assistants to the Comptroller General. It is a superior rank to all other ranks except the Comptroller General
- Assistant Comptroller-General
Assistant Comptroller General is the third highest rank in the Customs Service. It is superior to the Comptroller and inferior to Deputy Comptroller
- Comptroller
This is the second lowest rank of the officers of the Customs Service. It is superior to the Assistant Comptroller but inferior to Assistant Comptroller General
- Deputy Comptroller
- Assistant Comptroller
This is the lowest officer rank in the Customs Service. It is the entry point for graduates being recruited into the service
- Chief Superintendent Customs officer
- Deputy Chief Superintendent Customs officer
- Assistant Superintendent of Customs I
- Assistant Superintendent of Customs II
- Inspector of Customs
- Assistant Inspector of Customs
- Customs Assistant
Alhaji Shehu A. Musa, was on 28th August, 1975 appointed the first Director of the Department of Customs and Excise.
The functions of the Nigeria Customs Service include, but not limited to the following: Collection of Revenue (Import /Excise Duties and other Taxes /Levies) and accounting for same. Anti-Smuggling activities. Security functions.
The Comptroller-General of Customs is Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd). He is responsible for the overall management and direction of the Service. He is equally the accounting officer of the service and the Vice Chairman of the Nigeria Customs Service Board, which is chaired by the Honourable Minister of Finance.
The restructuring of the service into 3 departments, each headed by a Deputy Comptroller- General viz: Corporate Service and Economic Relations. Tariff and Trade, and. Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection.