Customs Reschedule Superintendent Pre-Test After Portal Problems
- Nigeria News
- 26.09.2025
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- 30
Customs Reschedule Superintendent Pre-Test After Portal Problems
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced a major update regarding its ongoing recruitment exercise. The Service has officially rescheduled the Superintendent Cadre pre-test after thousands of applicants experienced technical issues while trying to access the online portal.
This decision was disclosed in a notice released on Thursday, aimed at ensuring a fair and transparent process for all shortlisted candidates. According to the Service, the pre-test was rescheduled following what it described as “earlier challenges” with the online platform.
The Customs recruitment pre-test initially scheduled for September 22, 2025, faced severe technical hitches. Applicants reported repeated “500 Internal Server Error” and “Gateway Time-Out” messages, preventing many from accessing their test pages. This left thousands stranded in cybercafés across Nigeria, with some waiting for hours to gain access.
One frustrated applicant, Kiliya (@musa_kiliya), tweeted that “many candidates could not access the site for about two to three hours, yet the site still did not open. Most cyber cafés were overcrowded.” Another user, Mario Twinsley, asked, “Who are your developers? Are they not aware of load balancing?”
The NCS later admitted that the portal’s failure was due to heavy traffic and assured that technical teams were working to stabilise the system. This reschedule is part of the measures to address these technical setbacks.
To manage the process more effectively, the Nigeria Customs Service has regrouped all affected candidates into four batches — A, B, C, and D. This ensures that the system can handle traffic without crashing and gives candidates equal opportunity to participate.
The notice reads:
“All shortlisted Superintendent Cadre candidates should use their NIN to check their Batch, Date, and Time via
https://updates.customs.gov.ng.”
The Service also emphasised the importance of compliance with the new schedule. Candidates were warned that “strict compliance with your assigned Batch and Time is mandatory. Failure will lead to disqualification.”
The notice further clarified that applicants in the Inspectorate and Assistant Cadres should not log in at this stage. These applicants will be contacted separately regarding their own test schedule.
According to the NCS, the pre-test is not meant to determine recruitment outcomes but to help candidates get familiar with the online process. The Service reassured applicants that this exercise will not impact the final selection results.
The notice stated:
“The Pre-Test does not affect your recruitment outcome; it is only meant to help candidates familiarise themselves with the system and aid proper planning of the exercise.”
Importantly, the Service also confirmed that there would be no changes to the earlier test link, so candidates can continue to use the one initially sent to them.
If you are one of the shortlisted candidates for the Superintendent Cadre, here’s what you should do:
- Go to the official portal: updates.customs.gov.ng.
- Log in using your National Identification Number (NIN).
- Check your assigned Batch (A, B, C, or D), along with your date and time.
- Ensure you strictly follow your allocated schedule to avoid disqualification.
The Nigeria Customs Service recruitment drive continues to attract a large number of applicants, reflecting the strong interest among Nigerian youths in opportunities within the federal workforce. However, the surge in traffic to the online portal has made clarity and transparency in the recruitment process a top priority.
By rescheduling the pre-test and regrouping candidates, the NCS aims to maintain fairness while giving all applicants equal access to the system.
The technical issues faced by applicants during the first test attempt sparked wide debate on social media. Many questioned the capacity of government IT systems to handle large-scale recruitment exercises. Others expressed concern over the time and resources wasted in cybercafés due to the portal’s instability.
The NCS’s decision to reschedule the test and provide a clearer structure has been welcomed as a necessary step to restore confidence in the process.
- The Superintendent Cadre pre-test has been rescheduled due to earlier portal problems.
- Applicants have been regrouped into four batches (A, B, C, D).
- Use your NIN to check your batch, date, and time on the NCS portal.
- Inspectorate and Assistant Cadre applicants will be contacted separately.
- The Pre-Test does not affect your recruitment outcome but helps familiarise you with the system.
The rescheduling of the Nigeria Customs Service Superintendent Cadre pre-test highlights the importance of robust online infrastructure for large-scale recruitment. By implementing a new batch system and assuring candidates of fairness, the NCS is working to stabilise the process and rebuild trust among applicants.
All candidates are encouraged to visit the official NCS updates portal, follow their assigned schedule, and prepare adequately for the pre-test. This proactive approach will ensure a smooth and transparent recruitment exercise going forward.
