Various political parties in Nigeria have criticised the Federal Government’s management of the country’s economic challenges. They point to the overwhelming response to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) recruitment exercise as a sign of worsening economic conditions. The NCS recently disclosed that within a week of opening its 2024/2025 recruitment process, it had received about 573,519 applications for only 3,927 positions. Meanwhile, the Finance Minister, Wale Edun, confirmed that the federal government had approved the recruitment, which increased the number of immediate applicants.
Abdullahi Maiwada, the NCS’s National Public Relations Officer, provided details of the applicant pool, indicating that the number of applications was far beyond what the organisation could accommodate. This situation has raised serious concerns among opposition leaders who argue that the government’s failure to address the economic struggles of ordinary Nigerians is directly reflected in the high level of job-seeking activity. Opposition parties, particularly the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), have seized on this application surge as proof of the government’s failure to provide sufficient opportunities and improve the economic system.
Criticism from opposition parties and growing public discontent.
They argue that the high number of applicants for a limited number of positions underscores the government’s inability to stimulate job creation and tackle widespread poverty. LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, called the situation scandalous, pointing out the stark contrast between the thousands of applicants and the paltry number of available positions. Ifoh noted that this reflected the high Poverty levels, insecurity, and economic decay worsened under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. He further criticised the recruitment system, suggesting that Corruption or favouritism might skew the recruitment process, with candidates using connections to secure positions rather than merit.
On his part, the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, similarly blamed the government, accusing the administration of prioritising Revenue generation over addressing Nigerians’ economic challenges. While Johnson refrained from speculating on whether jobs were given to candidates with political ties, he emphasised that most applicants were desperate for employment. Johnson also criticised the government’s focus on revenue collection, arguing that it overlooked the critical need for economic reforms. He contended that the government’s sole focus on increasing income through taxes and customs duties had not translated into tangible benefits for the people.
Historical context and recurring issues with customs recruitment.
Meanwhile, the current situation is not the first time the NCS has witnessed an overwhelming number of job applications. In 2019, a similar issue occurred when the NCS received about 828,333 applications for just 3,200 available positions. The 2019 recruitment exercise also took place during the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari, whose administration faced significant criticism for failing to resolve high Unemployment rates and economic hardship. As a result, various factors, such as high unemployment rates, limited employment opportunities in other sectors, and economic hardship, have contributed to a growing pool of job seekers.
Many of the applicants, particularly those from the younger generation, face an educational mismatch with the available job market, and the lack of job Security has pushed many into seeking any form of employment, no matter how temporary or menial. In response to the overwhelming demand for jobs, opposition parties call on the current administration to implement urgent measures to address the economic challenges. These measures include boosting Private Sector growth, promoting enterprise and foreign investment, and reforming the Educational System to match job market demands.
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Also, they advocate for improving social safety nets, developing the digital economy, encouraging public-private partnerships, and tackling the persistent issue of insecurity, which has stifled Economic Development in many regions across the country. As the struggle continues, these overwhelming responses to the organisation’s recruitment exercise signal to the government that its policies fail to address the country’s most pressing issues, prompting them to take the necessary steps to reform and provide meaningful solutions for a better Nigeria.