New directive requires drug screening for recruits and existing personnel as the Customs Service moves to strengthen discipline, security and operational integrity.
Nigeria’s Customs Service has announced sweeping new measures to enforce drug-free standards across its workforce, introducing mandatory drug testing for both newly recruited and serving officers. The move marks one of the agency’s most significant internal reforms in recent years as it seeks to strengthen discipline and improve border-security operations.
Comptroller-General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi revealed the policy during the closing session of the 2025 Comptroller-General’s Conference held in Abuja on Friday November 21, 2025. He said the decision followed a series of incidents in which erratic behavior and poor judgment by some personnel were later linked to substance misuse.
Under the new directive, all applicants participating in the ongoing recruitment cycle will undergo compulsory drug screening before entry into the Service. Adeniyi stressed that the measure is intended to prevent individuals with substance-abuse tendencies from entering a system responsible for national revenue collection, trade facilitation and border security.
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However, the reforms will not be limited to new personnel. The Customs chief confirmed that serving officers across all Zones, Commands and the Headquarters will also be screened as part of a phased rollout aimed at transforming the Service into what he described as “a fully drug-free institution.”
Adeniyi said the agency can no longer tolerate situations where officers tasked with sensitive responsibilities operate under the influence of drugs. “There will be no compromise,” he said. “We are going to ensure that every new officer is tested so that we do not begin to spend Service resources rehabilitating personnel.”
He added that early signs of substance misuse would no longer be overlooked, noting that officers involved in enforcement activities, border surveillance, revenue collection and intelligence work must demonstrate sound judgment at all times. Officials say the new policy will help reduce operational risks, protect the integrity of Customs procedures and enhance public confidence in the Service.
The Customs chief also used the platform to remind officers of the importance of maintaining good personal health. He urged personnel to priorities regular medical checks and emphasized that both physical and mental fitness are essential to effective service delivery, particularly as the agency intensifies efforts to combat smuggling, drug trafficking and other cross-border crimes.
The mandatory testing regime is expected to begin immediately, with further operational guidelines to be issued to Commands nationwide. The Customs Service says the initiative forms part of a broader institutional reform agenda aimed at improving professionalism and modernizing its operations.
