Nigeria Customs Service Ranks And Salary Structure (2024)

In this article, we shall be looking at the Nigeria Customs Service ranks and salary structure this 2024, as well as a brief history of the Nigeria Customs Service which contains important information of things that may previously be unknown about the Customs in the country that might be valuable knowledge to our esteemed readers. We shall also talk about the functions of the NCS. If you want to know more about the ranks and salary scale of the NCS in the country, then you are rest assured that you are at the right place.

BRIEF HISTORY AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS is the paramilitary agency that collects customs revenue and prevents smuggling activities through the borders of the country. The Nigeria Customs Service is a paramilitary organization established in 1891 and ever since then it has been rebranded and restructured many times to make it a reputable federal government parastatal that it is today.

This organization is under the Federal Ministry of Finance and its organizational structure is composed of six major departments under the leadership of the Comptroller-General of Customs and assisted by six Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs. These six departments which are all headed by the Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs in Nigeria include:

• Finance Administration and Technical Service
• Tariff & Trade
• Enforcement, Investigation, and Inspection
• Strategic Research & Policy
• Human Resource Development
• Excise, FTZ and Industrial Incentives

Each Deputy Comptrollers-General have Assistant Comptrollers-General in charge of each division under them while Comptrollers runs the affair of each unit under these divisions. Assistant-Comptroller-General (Headquarters) reports directly to the Comptroller-General along with the heads of some Special Units in addition to 4 Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACG) in the zones that coordinate the area commands under their respective jurisdictions.

FUNCTIONS OF THE NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE

The functions of the Nigeria Customs Service include, but not limited to the following:

• Collection of Revenue (Import /Excise Duties & other Taxes /Levies) and accounting for same
• Anti-Smuggling activities
• Security functions
• Generating statistics for planning and Budgetary purposes
• Monitoring Foreign Exchange utilisation etc.
• Engaging in Research, Planning and Enforcement of Fiscal Policies of Government
• Manifest processing
• Licensing and registration of Customs Agents
• Registration and designation of collecting banks
• Working in collaboration with other government agencies in all approved ports and border station
• Intercept contraband such as illegal drugs and weapons
• Check travellers and their baggage, cargo and mail; assess and collect Customs duties and other taxes on Goods and Services
• Protect businesses against illegal trade malpractices
• Enforce import and export restriction and prohibitions
• Collect accurate import and export data for economic statistical usage and planning
• As the Nigeria gatekeepers, they use intelligence and risk assessment to target their physical checks on containers, vessels or travellers. They also conduct investigations and audits, and prosecute offenders.
• They work closely with other Government agencies in accomplishing the collective aim of developing the country.

RANKS IN THE NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE

The highest ranking officer in the Nigeria Customs Service is the Comptroller-General with the Deputy Comptrollers-Generals being the next highest ranking senior officers in the Service. Ranks in the Nigeria Customs Service are by the academic qualification or certificates which an officer has and as they acquire more educational qualifications the higher their chances of being promoted.

Those with either WAEC or NECO (O’Level) certificates are placed at the lowest ranks but as they climb the academic ladder by adding more academic qualifications to what they already have, the better they stand the chance of climbing up the ranks in the Nigeria Customs Service. Having said that, below is a list of the ranks in the Nigeria Customs Service from highest to lowest rank.

• Comptroller General
• Deputy Comptroller-General
• Assistant Comptroller-General
• Comptroller
• Deputy Comptroller
• Assistant Comptroller
• Chief Superintendent Customs Officer
• Deputy Superintendent Customs Officer
• Assistant Superintendent of Customs I
• Assistant Superintendent of Customs II
• Inspector of Customs
• Assistant Inspector of Customs
• Customs Assistant

NIGERIA CUSTOMS SERVICE SALARY STRUCTURE 2024 

The salary structure of the Nigeria Customs Service is based on the Consolidated Paramilitary Salary Structure (CONPASS). Salaries are paid based on your rank or level in the Service. The higher your rank, the higher your salary per month. This also means more allowances and benefits. Allowances that customs officers are entitled to include: uniform allowance, torchlight allowance, hazard allowance, utility allowance, hardiness allowance, furniture allowance, detective allowance, general services allowance, house maintenance allowance, to mention but a few.

Be informed that the ranges of the salary structure scale listed below are annual basic salaries of the officers in the Nigeria Customs Service and they exclude allowances and benefits. The Comptroller-General of Customs as well as the Deputy Comptrollers-General who are senior ranking officers in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) all earn basic salaries above ₦2 million.

The salaries of other senior and junior ranking officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) this 2024 include the following:

• Assistant Comptroller-General ₦2,272,288 – ₦2,464,560
• Comptrollers ₦1,759,829 – ₦1,966,281
• Deputy Comptrollers ₦1,619,447 – ₦1,825,589
• Assistant Comptrollers ₦1,225,584 – ₦1,405,449
• Chief Superintendent Customs Officer ₦1,158,172 – ₦1,325,234
• Deputy Superintendent Customs Officer ₦1,094,027 – ₦1,252,038
• Assistant Superintendent of Customs I ₦1,012,562 – ₦1,143,539
• Assistant Superintendent of Customs II ₦888,956 – ₦988991
• Inspector of Customs ₦483,014 – ₦567,065
• Assistant Inspector of Customs ₦357,358 – ₦411,484
• Customs Assistant ₦298,506 – ₦330,321