Do you aspire to be an officer of the Nigerian army through the short service or direct short service combatant course? Well let me share the good news with you for the interested ones.

I know you have a lot of questions bubbling in your mind ranging from the selection processes down to the training process.

Questions 1): how many are shortlisted for the screening and selection board?

ANS: depending on the state but approximately Nigerian Army select 54 candidates chosen from each state to go to Nigerian Defence Academy for screening, interview, and to run 3.2. Kilometers race after the medicals and other physical verification of your credentials

After the whole process is concluded, thereafter the final selection board list will be released by the army secretary which carries the names of successful candidates at the selection board.
54 candidates will be selected according to zone this time around, that is some states may get 5 or 7 candidate selected. So 5 or 7 candidate from each state depending on your population or other reasons who will be instructed to report to Nigerian army (Nasi) jaji Kaduna for training.

Queations 2): what happens after the 6 or 9 month training?

After going through 6 month hard training for direct short service commission and 9 month hard training for short service combatant, you will be commissioned as a (DSSC) lieutenant ** and (SSC) 2nd lieutenant * in the Nigeria army with 15 years conditions of service attached, that is after spending your 15 years in the military service you will be given an option to either retired as a lieutenant colonel or colonel or to convert to a regular combatant and continue risen in ranks upto major general.

After passing out as a DSSC or SSC cadet the federal government will pay you your 6 month or 9 month benefit enough to buy a car and marry for those that are not married yet and an accommodation will be offered to you.

(Questions 3): Does a DSSC or SSC officers earn the same salary and get same benefit with there contemporary ranks in Regular course officers?

ANS: yes as a lieutenant or second lieutenant it doesnt matter if you are a Regular or Short service salary is the same and benefit are given according to your postings. E.g if you are posted to Maiduguri conflict prone areas you will get certain incentives for been in that area.

(Questions 4): Is promotion of DSSC or SSC the same with a Regular course officer in Nigerian Army?

ANS: yes it is the same. Promotions are done every 5 years not withstanding whether you are a DSSC or SSC or a regular course officer. However after the passing out of SSC and Regular course cadet, 6 month after regular course cadets are promoted to the rank of lieutenant while SSC is after a year or two.


(Questions 5): Does DSSC or SSC get appointment in the Nigerian Army?

ANS: yes DSSC and SSC can get appointment just like the regular course officers, in fact a we have many DSSC and SSC officers becoming NYSC camp commandant and rose to become even the Director General of NYSC e.g major general Suleiman kazaure and the current NYSC DG shuaibu Ibrahim who joined the army through Direct short service course respectively.

If you have more questions to ask please post your comment here. Will gladly respond to it.

DISCLAIMER: note that this post does not represent the views of the Nigerian army. It is my own findings and research from various sources that led to this post. Thank you

if an officer wants to serve for more than 15 years, he must convert to direct regular commission, what are the chances that his request for conversion will be accepted? as they said conversion is not automatic.