Short Service Combatant Commission (SSCC) Course 50/2027

Short Service Combatant Commission (SSCC) Course 50/2027

Available Arms

• Combat Arms
• Infantry
• Armour Corps
• Combat Support Arms
• Artillery
• Engineers
• Signals
• Intelligence Corps

Entry Requirements

• Applicants must satisfy the following conditions:
• Must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, as defined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
• Must be male or female between 23 and 27 years of age by 10 January 2027.
• Must be medically, mentally and physically fit according to Nigerian Army standards.
• Civilian applicants must be recommended and attested to have good character by at least two recognisable referees. Referees must either be a Local Government Chairman/Secretary or an officer of the Armed Forces not below the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and equivalent/Assistant Commissioner of Police, who must hail from the applicant’s state of origin. Passport photographs of the referees must be attached to the letter of attestation.
• Candidates must submit a Letter of Attestation from their degree-awarding institution.
• Applicants must measure at least: a. 1.68 metres for males b. 1.65 metres for females
• Applicants must not have been convicted by any court of law. Military personnel must not have any disciplinary case and must be endorsed by their Commanding Officer/Commander.
• Applicants must possess at least a first degree with not less than Second Class Lower Division, or an HND with not less than Lower Credit, in Arts, Sciences or Humanities from an accredited university or institution of higher learning. Courses of study must also be accredited at the time of study.
• Must possess a valid birth certificate endorsed by the National Population Commission, hospital or Local Government Council, or a valid age declaration.
• Must possess a valid Certificate of State of Origin.
• NYSC discharge certificate is mandatory for all civilian applicants, while serving military personnel are to present an NYSC exemption certificate.
• Only tertiary academic credentials obtained from 2018 to date will be considered.
• Applicants must provide valid contact addresses and telephone numbers of their parent/guardian and Next of Kin.
• Candidates must not have any body inscriptions or tattoos.
• Candidates must tender all original copies of their educational certificates, from primary to tertiary level.
• Serving personnel must present valid military identity cards and letters of recommendation from their Commanding Officers/Commanders.
• Serving personnel must also present valid letter(s) of official sponsorship in tertiary academic institutions.
• Serving military personnel must have served for a minimum of five years in the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
• All serving personnel are required to declare their service status on the application as required by the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Failure to do so constitutes an offence in addition to disqualification at any stage.
• Candidates must not be members of any cult, secret society or fraternity.
• Candidates must not have been dismissed or withdrawn on disciplinary grounds from any military or para-military training institution.

Conditions of Service

• The SSCC will be granted for 15 years.
• The first 10 years will be on the active list as the initial bonding period.
• This may subsequently be renewed for a period of not more than five years.
• No extension will be granted after the fifteenth year of commission, except upon conversion to Regular Combatant Commission.

Rank After Training

• Officer cadets who successfully complete military training will be granted the rank of Second Lieutenant, with seniority effective from the commencement date of cadet training.
• SSCC officers may have the opportunity to convert to Regular Combatant Commission. However, conversion is not automatic and will depend on factors including availability of vacancies and other criteria determined from time to time.
• All graduating officer cadets must sign an acceptance of the terms and conditions governing the SSCC before being granted commission into the Nigerian Army.
• For civilians who become commissioned officers, the reckonable period of service will be based on the date of commencement of cadet training, while for military personnel it will be based on their effective date of enlistment.

Documents Required

• Applicants should prepare the following:
• Recent passport photograph
• Educational certificates of the qualification indicated
• Certificate of State of Origin
• Birth certificate or age declaration
• NIN slip
• BVN slip
• Other supporting documents where applicable

Printing and Submission

• After completing the application, applicants must print their online-generated photo-slip.
• The first page is to be signed by the Registrar of any Court of Law, while the second page is to be signed by the applicant’s Local Government Chairman/Secretary or a military officer of not less than the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or equivalent who hails from the applicant’s state of origin.
• Successful applicants are expected to present their printed application documents, including:
• Photo-slip
• Guarantor’s form
• Attestation form
• Other required documents
• These will be presented to the Selection Board during the interview.

Application Opening Date

• Friday, 14 August 2026

Application Closing Date

• Saturday, 17 October 2026

Important Notice

• Applicants should rely on the Nigerian Army’s official recruitment portal and recruitment announcements for updates. The application is free of charge. Do not pay anyone claiming to guarantee recruitment or selection.