HOW TO APPLY FOR DIRECT SHORT SERVICE COMMISSION (DSSC)

 The Nigerian army are inviting all eligible Nigerian male and female  for commission into the Nigerian Army (NA) as Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) officers. The  Direct short service commission (DSSC) is open to both civilians and serving military personnel into the following corps

> Nigerian Army Engineers

> Nigerian Army Signals

> Nigerian Army Medical Corps

>Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.

> Nigerian Army Education Corps

> Nigerian Army Engineers are military officers who are responsible for combat support arm of the Nigerian Army responsible for Army military need for welfare and peace support of the army 

> The Nigerian Army Medical Corp are military officers who are responsible for medical support or care in the Nigerian Army those consist of Medical Doctors, nurses, radiographers, medical records, and etc. this department is has been helping the Nigerian Army for the past many years in war zones. And the department is very important in Nigeria Army 

> The Nigerian Army Signals they are combat support arm in the Nigerian Army responsible for providing genuine Signals for the Nigerian Army like communication support for the Nigerian Army.

> The Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers are responsible for maintaining the army's electrical, mechanical, electronic, optical, and electro-medical equipment. They're like the army's tech support, ensuring everything runs smoothly. 

Note that only serving military personnel sponsored to civil institutions by any of the Services of the Nigerian Armed Forces shall be considered.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

All applicants must have the following conditions:

Be a Nigerian citizen by birth as defined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

The applicant male or female must be between the ages of 20 and 32 years by 30 March 2026. Applicants that are applying with medical could be between 25 to 40 years by 30 March 2026

The applicant must medically physically mentally fit according to Nigerian Army standards 

The applicant must recommended and attested to his/her good character by at least 2 recognizable referees who are either a Local Government Chairman, Secretary or an officer of the Armed Forces not below the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and 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 submit a letter of Attestation from their former institutions

The applicant must have not less than 1.68m height (for males) and 1.65m height (for females).

Must not have been convicted by any court of law. Millary personnel applying must be free from any disciplinary case and endorsed by the applicant's Commanding Officer Commander

The applicant must Possess at least not less than Second Class Upper Division at applicants first degree or HND (where applicable) of not less than Upper Credit from any accredited institution of leaming

Possess valid birth certificate endorsed by local government council, National Population Commission or Hospital, or valid age declaration

Applicants must possess a valid state of origin certificate.

Applicants must possess NYSC discharge certificate or valid exemption certificate as appropriate

A Graduates applicants with professional qualifications must be duly registered by the relevant regulating bodies recognized by Nigerian Laws at the commencement of cadet braining

Only post-secondary academic credentials obtained from 2011 to date will be considered.

Applicants must present valid contact addresses and telephone numbers of parents/guardians and Next of Kings as appropriate.

The applicants must not have any bodily inscriptions or tattoos

The applicants must come with all original copies of educational certificates (primary to post-secondary).

Service personnel must present valid military identity cards and letters of recommendation by their Commanding Officers Commanders. They must also present the vald letters) of Service sponsorship to tertiary academic institutions (where applicable) Additionally, they must have served for a period of not less than 5 years

Candidates must not belong to any cult/society fraternity

CORPS AND SERVICES

Applications should be into any of the following Corps and Services of the NA

Nigerian Army Engineers Applicants must possess a minimum of BSc, (Second Class Upper) degree or HND (Upper Credit) in any of the following areas: Urban and regional planning, Architecture, Building engineering/Technology, Quantity Survey, GIS/Survey, Geology as well as Estate Management.  Such academic fields must be registered with the Nigerian Society of Engineers and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) or regulating professional bodies

Nigerian Army Signals. Applicants must possess a minimum of BSc. B Tech, B Engr (Second Class Upper) degree or HND (Upper Credit) in any of the following areas: 

Geographic Information Systems Engineering, Project Manager Engineering and System Control Engineering and Satellite Communication Engineering, Microwave Engineering, Control Security Engineering, Software Engineering, UAV Pilot, Database Management Engineering and Administrator, Electrical Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, Cyber Security, Computer Science, Network Designer and Engineering, Software Developer, and Telecommunications Engineering, 

Nigerian Army Medical Corps

All applicants for the NA Medical Corps are expected to present proof of registration with their professional regulatory bodies Other requirements are as follows 

Medical and Dental Consultants of Various Disciplines Applicants could belong to felds of specialization such as General Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery Anesthesia, Neuro-Surgery, Cardiothoracic ENT

Surgery Physicians (Cardiologists. Endomologat, Nephrologists and Neurologas Ophthalmologits as well as Obstetrics and Gynaecologats Pediatricans, Family Medicine. Dentistry and any other recognized specialty Applicants munt ahostly the following criter

(4) Nurses Applicants must possess BSC nursing and and fully registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria 

Pharmacists Applicants must possess Bachelor of Pharmacy and must be fully registered with the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria 

Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Applicants must possess a minimum of Bsc Eng.

4. BSc (Eng) (Second Class Upper) degree or HND (Upper Credit) in any of the following areas: Mechanical Automotive Engineering, Electrical Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics Robotics Engineering. Materias Metallurgical Engineering Industrial Production Engineering. Physics/Electronics Engineering Weapon Engineering, Computer Software Engineering, Arcraft Maintenance Engineering. Biomedical Engineering and Systems Avionics Engineering. Such academic felds must be registered with the Nigerian Society of Engineers and Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) or regulating professional bodies.

Nigerian Army Education Corps Applicants must possess a minimum of BSc (Ed) or BA (Ed) (Second Class Upper) degree or HND (Upper Credit) in any of the following areas: Mathematics. Computer Scence/ICT, as well as Library and Information Science All applicants for Education Corps are expected to present proof of registration with their professional regulatory bodies

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

4 The DSSC will be granted for 15 years. DSSC officers who convert to Direct Regular Commission (DRC) can serve up to 35 years in the NA. Other Service conditions include the following:

The DSSC officers shall be on probation for the first 3 years of service

Conversion to DRC is not automatic but based on application by an eligible commissioned officer.

All graduating officer cadets must sign an acceptance of the terms and conditions governing the DSSC before they are granted commission into the NA

The reckonable period of service for civilians who become commissioned officers will be based on the date of commencement of cadet training while that of military personnel applicants would be date of enlistment

Medical Consultants on successful completion of military training shall be granted the rank of Major with seniority effective from date of commission

Officer cadets who successfully complete the military training shall be granted the rank of Lieutenant (except for medical consultants) with seniority effective from date of commission

METHOD OF APPLICATION

5 Applications are to be made online free of charge from 7 January to 4 February 2026

HOW TO APPLY

APPLICATION FREE

(1) Go online and visit our (NA) webpage at: recruitment.army.mil.ng and choose DSSC option from the page.

(2) You will be redirected to the page where you can read the qualification criteria for the ongoing DSSC courses.

(3) Click on the "Apply Now" button for the DSSC as per your qualification and Corps of choice.

(4) At the prompt, you will be required to select if you are serving or have served in the Armed Forces of Nigeria. Choose the appropriate option and proceed.

(5) If you do not have an account, click on "Sign Up" (a verification will be sent to your email) or enter your login details and log in.

(6) Fill out the form and ensure all required documents listed below are uploaded:

(a) Passport photograph. 

(b) Educational certificates. 

(c) Evidence of membership of any professional body.

(d) Certificate of state of origin.

(e) Birth certificate or age declaration.

(f) NIN/BVN.

Application Opens: 7 January 2026 and closed on 4 February 2026