The Nigerian Army has a recruitment that is called SSC, which simply means Short Service Commission. The Nigerian Army SSC recruitment normally comes out once a year, and the SSC training lasts for a period of nine (9) months.
For the ones who are just hearing about the Nigerian Army SSC for the first time, the Nigerian Army SSC always comes out with the Nigerian Army DSSC. Mind you, they are not the same. Though they are both meant for graduates, they are not the same. You can read our previous post on the difference between DSSC and SSC in the Nigerian Army.
Before you can be able to join the Nigerian Army SSC, there are some requirements you need to meet before you can apply for the recruitment. We made mention of the requirements when we wrote about how to join the Nigerian Army as a graduate, but it’s combined requirements for both SSC and DSSC. In this post, we will only be talking about the SSC requirements.
Nigerian Army SSC Requirements
- Applicants must be Nigerian citizens as defined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
- Applicants, either male or female, must be between the ages of 22 and 28 years old.
- All applicants must be mentally, medically, and physically fit. This must be confirmed by the Nigerian Army according to Nigerian Army standards.
- All applicants must be recommended and attested to for good character by at least 2 referees who are either a Local Government Chairman/Secretary or an officer of the Armed Forces not below the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or equivalent, or an Assistant Commissioner of Police and above, who must hail from the applicant’s state of origin. Passport photographs of referees must be affixed to the letter of attestation.
- Applicants must not have been convicted by a court of law. If you are military personnel, you must not have any disciplinary case and must be confirmed so by the Commanding Officer/Commander.
- All the applied candidates must submit a letter of attestation from their former institutions.
- Your height must measure at least 1.68m (for males) and 1.65m (for females).
- All applicants must possess at least a first degree with not less than Second Class Lower Division or HND of not less than Lower Credit in the arts, sciences, or humanities from an accredited university or polytechnic. Courses of study must also be accredited at the time of study.
- All applicants must possess a valid birth certificate which must be signed by the National Population Commission, hospital, or Local Government Council, or a valid age declaration from a court of law.
- Applicants must have a valid certificate of state of origin.
- Applicants (other than serving members of the Armed Forces) must have their NYSC certificate or a valid certificate of exemption.
- Applicants must present valid contact addresses and phone numbers of parents/guardians and next of kin.
- All applicants must not have any body inscriptions or tattoos on their bodies.
- Candidates must provide all the original copies of educational certificates from primary to secondary school.
- All service personnel must present a valid military ID card and a letter of recommendation from their Commanding Officers/Commanders. They must also present valid letter(s) of official sponsorship in tertiary academic institutions. Additionally, they must have served for a minimum period of 5 years in the Armed Forces of Nigeria. All service personnel applicants are under obligation to declare their service status on the application as required by the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Failing to do so constitutes an offense in addition to disqualification at any stage.
- Candidates who wish to join the Nigerian Army as a graduate must not be a member of any cult/secret society/fraternity.
When you look at the requirements, you will notice that they are almost the same as the DSSC requirements. The reason is because they are both meant for graduates. If you are not a graduate and you are interested in joining the Nigerian Army, you can read about how to join the Nigerian Army Regular Recruits Intake.
The Nigerian Army Short Service recruitment has a different age limit from that of the DSSC, as it is meant for those who are young. Now let’s see how to apply for the Nigerian Army SSC recruitment.
How To Apply For The Nigerian Army SSC Recruitment 2025/2026
To apply for the Nigerian Army SSC recruitment:
- Visit the Nigerian Army recruitment portal: www.recruitment.army.mil.ng
- Create an account and register.
- Select SSC as your choice.
- Upload all the required documents.
- Save and print out your attestation form.
- Then wait for the Nigerian Army SSC shortlist.
Always put your correct email address or phone number so as not to miss any update concerning the recruitment.
