Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a major setback as its recruitment portal crashed just minutes before a scheduled pretest exercise on Monday, September 22, 2025. Thousands of applicants were left stranded and frustrated, unable to access the portal for the online test.
The NCS attributed the crash to overwhelming traffic on the site, advising candidates to keep trying as its technical team worked to restore functionality.
Despite the Service’s assurance, many Nigerians expressed disappointment and criticized the poor planning and inadequate infrastructure that led to the failure.
Applicants took to social media to voice frustration over repeated “Internal Server Error” messages, questioning the agency’s readiness and the efficient use of resources.
The incident has raised concerns about the overall management of the recruitment exercise, calling for better organization in future operations.
This development is especially notable as the NCS recently launched recruitment across three cadres—Superintendent, Inspectorate, and Customs Assistant—with the aim of strengthening its workforce and closing operational gaps.
The Nigeria Customs Service has yet to announce a new date for the pretest exercise.
