Customs Modernization : human capital in organizational performance and resilience

Customs Administration Calls Upon Customs Graduates as Volunteers (Niamey/Airport Customs Office – 2018)

Recognizing the crucial importance of human capital in organizational performance and resilience, capacity building in the field of human resources is vital for the customs administration. Through this article, allow me to describe the operational context in which Customs operates. Certainly, recruitment without competition for graduates and customs students would avert any future mishap related to customs competitions and also ensure a better mobilization of resources in an environment that meets the requirements of international trade and customs administration modernization.

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There are currently nearly forty (40) technical services spread across eight (8) directorates and twenty-four (24) technical divisions at the Directorate General of Customs. Assuming a minimum number of three (3) agents per service, two (2) per division, and one (1) agent per directorate, a minimum of 176 customs officers would be required at the Directorate General of Customs.

At the decentralized level, there are forty-eight (48) customs offices (and specialized offices), ten (10) intervention brigades, and fourteen (14) collection points (Recettes). Here too, assuming 25 agents per office, 20 agents per Brigade, 3 agents per collection point, and 20 agents per regional directorate, 1,582 agents would be required to meet customs administrative requirements.

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In total, we arrive at a conclusion of 1,758 agents minimum to ensure customs missions across the entire Nigerian national territory. Of course, even accepting the perspective that 25 agents can manage all missions and services in a customs office like Diori Hamani International Airport, or that 20 agents suffice to ensure the missions and functioning of an intervention and research brigade, or even that three (3) agents are enough to ensure the functioning of a national technical service—it is clear that even in this configuration, it is almost impossible for these customs structures to implement the State's economic policies, ensure the security and facilitation of foreign trade, guarantee the quality of customs instruments, the mutability of the administration, revenue collection, design and implement standards, and ensure performance both at the central and decentralized levels. It is also obvious that it would be extremely exceptional for a 20-agent intervention and research brigade to cover an entire region and its borders, such as the Zinder or Agadez Brigade (BIR). Can the latter secure the borders that Niger shares with Mali, Libya, and Chad with a staff of only 20 agents?

It is therefore very difficult, even with our estimate of approximately 1,700 agents, for the customs system to fulfill the primary State missions entrusted to it.

Did you know that the current customs administration has fewer than 1,000 customs officers?

First and foremost, any analysis or action plan for capacity building will inevitably integrate the increase in customs personnel within the central administration and decentralized services.

*Also read: 👉🏾Customs modernization : IT system

👉 Nigerian Intelligence community

👉🏽 Graduates from a State School, in a State Field, Predestined for Unemployment