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Military

Entry Requirements And Differences Between The Various Categories Of Commissioned Officers In The Nigerian Army

The Nigerian army is one of the most highly organized military body in Africa. It is a component of the Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF).

The Nigerian army is responsible for the execution of land warfare within and outside Nigeria. Some of the Nigerian army’s notable engagements includes the Congo crisis, the Nigerian civil war, the invasion of Gambia, Sierra Leonian civil war, the first Liberian civil war, the Boko Haram insurgency, the Niger Delta crisis, the Northern Mali war and a host of others.


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The Nigerian army has also led peacekeeping operations in a number of African countries. The Nigerian army, since the inception of it’s peacekeeping missions have dedicated about 20,000 troops to various UN missions.

Read Also: List Of Army Barracks In Nigeria And Their Locations

Entry Requirements And Differences Between The Various Categories Of Commissioned Officers In The Nigerian Army
Commissioned Officers In The Nigerian Army – Photo Source: http://nigeriantimes.ng

The activities of the Nigerian army is controlled by the National Army Council (NAC). The Nigerian army just like any other elite armed forces recruits both commissioned and non-commissioned officers.

Currently, there are four major types of commissioned officers in the Nigerian army. In this article, I shall point out the four major categories and also list out their entry requirements so as to help shed light on the existing lack of clarity on this issue. This will also go a long way in helping those of you who will want to serve his/her fatherland.

The four major types of commissioned officers in the Nigerian army which I shall be discussing in this article are:

a. Regular Commission (RC)

b. Direct Regular Commission (DRC)

c. Short Service Commission (SSC)

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d. Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC)

1. Regular Commission (RC)

This military training in Nigeria takes five years. Cadets are exposed to rigorous and strenuous military training for the five years duration.

Cadets are trained at the Nigeria Defense Academy (NDA) Kaduna. Cadets are usually paid allowances which is only sufficient to cater for just their immediate needs.

They don’t pay any form of fees for the five years duration of their military training in the NDA. They are not allowed outside the academy premises except during holidays.

The cadets upon graduation are awarded the rank of a 2nd lieutenant, a rank which they hold for 6-12 months before being automatically promoted to the rank of a lieutenant.

Read Also: How to Join The Nigerian Army

Requirements for enrollment into the NDA Regular Course (RC)

The NDA currently offers 14 courses which are split into 3 faculties. Requirements for admission in all courses offered are as follows.

a. A total of not less than 5 SSCE credit passes in not more 2 sittings are required.

b. Compulsory credit passes in English language and Mathematics are required.

c. Not less than 3 compulsory credit passes in subjects relevant to the applied course for example, if you intend to apply for Bsc economics, you are required to have at least a credit pass in subjects such as Accounting, Commerce, Geography, History and Government. These subjects are deemed relevant to the course you applied for.

2. Direct Regular Commission (DRC)

Officers enlisted into the army as Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) are given an option to convert to Direct Regular Commission (DRC) after some period of time, precisely 3 years after commission into the force.

Thus, officers commissioned as DSSC are the ones eligible for conversion to DRC. Once converted to DRC their service year is increased beyond the normal 10 years.

DRC’s are not deployed for combat missions. They are usually the professionals in the army such as doctors, lawyers, nurses, artisans e.t.c.

Requirements for enlistment into the Direct Regular Commission (DRC)

a. You must be commissioned into the service as a DSSC.

b. Conversion to DRC can only be possible after 3 years of commission as an officer.

3. Short Service Commission (SSC)

SSC training takes 6-9 months. During this period, the successfully commissioned officers are trained to fight battles. It is usually of short duration except when conversion to Regular Commission (RC) is made.

The reason why it’s duration is short is because, 6 years of service is usually on active renewable. After that, a period of 3 years is given to enable you convert to an RC. After the 3 years, there will be no extension if conversion is not made or if conversion is unsuccessful.

Officers who successfully complete their 6-9 month military training are awarded the rank of a 2nd lieutenant. This rank they hold for not more than 18-24 month after which they are automatically promoted to the rank of a lieutenant.

Conversion from SSC to RC is not automatic, it is usually based on available vacancies or other criteria which will always be made known by the army.

Read Also: Challenges facing the Nigeria Army and the Way Forward

Requirements for enlistment into the Short Service Commission (SSC)

a. You must be a Nigerian.

b. You must be between the age of 24 to 29 years.

c. You must possess at least a first degree of not less than Second Class Lower Division or HND of not less than Lower Credit in the arts, sciences or humanities from any recognised institution.

d. You must not be less than 1.68m in height.

e. You must possess the NYSC discharge certificate or a notification of exemption.

f. You must not be an ex-convict.

g. You must be recommended by at least 2 recognizable referees, in the case of a serving officer he/she must be recommended by his/her commanding officer.

4. Direct Short Service Commision (DSSC)

The DSSC training is usually between 6-9 months. This training is usually less strenuous than the RC and SSC training.

The DSSC are comprised of professionals in other disciplines as well as artisans. These set of officers are enlisted into the army not for combat but other purposes. Professionals such as doctors, nurses, lawyers and artisans are enlisted and trained for 6-9 months.

After the completion of their training, they are commissioned as DSSC officers. Just like the SSC, DSSC officers are granted a period of 10 service years upon which they are given the chance to convert to DRC after 10 years of their commission as officers of the Nigerian army.

Although DSSC officers are not sent to execute combat missions, they are still required to undergo a period of military training, usually 6 months.

DSSC officers are commissioned with the rank of a 2nd lieutenant, a position they hold for 18-24 months before being automatically promoted to the rank of a lieutenant.

Read Also: Nigerian Army Recruitment Training Pictures

Requirements for enrollment into the Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC)

a. You must be a Nigerian.

b. You must be between the age of 24 to 29 years.

c. You must possess at least a first degree of not less than Second Class Lower Division or HND of not less than Lower Credit in the arts, sciences or humanities from any recognised institution.

d. You must not be less than 1.68m in height.

e. You must possess the NYSC discharge certificate or a notification of exemption.

f. You must not be an ex-convict.

g. You must be recommended by at least 2 recognizable referees, in the case of a serving officer, he/she must be recommended by his/her commanding officer.

 

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Adegbija David

David is a content developer at InfoGuideNigeria.com. InfoGuide Nigeria is a team of Resource Persons and Consultants led by Ifiokobong Ibanga. Page maintained by Ifiokobong Ibanga. If you need a personal assistance on this topic, kindly contact us.

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