Nigerian Army 2027 Short Service: How to Apply and Requirements
- The Nigerian Army invited both civilians and serving military personnel to apply for the Short Service Combatant Commission Course 50/2027
- Applicants must be Nigerian citizens aged between 23 and 27, hold at least a Second Class Lower degree or HND Lower Credit, and possess an NYSC certificate
- The application portal opened on August 14, 2026, and will close on October 17, 2026, with no fees required from candidates
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FCT, Abuja - The Nigerian Army has opened its application window for the Short Service Combatant Commission (SSCC) Course 50/2027, welcoming eligible civilians and serving military personnel to apply for commissioned officer roles.
Legit.ng reports that the announcement was made on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, via an official recruitment notice that called on qualified Nigerians to come forward for consideration for commission across a range of corps.
Source: Getty Images
Nigerian Army opens short service applications
Successful candidates will serve in Combat Arms, covering the Infantry and Armour Corps, or in Combat Support Arms, which include the Artillery, Engineers, Signals and Intelligence Corps. Applications opened on Friday, August 14, 2026, and the portal will remain open until Saturday, October 17, 2026.
To be eligible, applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth and must fall between the ages of 23 and 27 as of January 10, 2027. The Army also requires candidates to be medically, mentally and physically fit. Male applicants must stand at least 1.68 metres tall, while female applicants must be at least 1.65 metres.
On academic qualifications, the Army requires a minimum of a Second Class Lower division first degree or an HND with at least a Lower Credit from an accredited institution, in any of the arts, sciences or humanities. Only certificates obtained from 2018 onwards will be accepted.
Civilian applicants must hold a valid NYSC discharge certificate, while serving military personnel are required to present an NYSC exemption certificate. Civilians must also obtain letters of attestation from their degree-awarding institutions and secure recommendations from at least two recognised referees.
Candidates must have no criminal convictions, no cult or secret society affiliations, and no body inscriptions or tattoos.
Who qualifies for army recruitment?
To apply, candidates should visit the Nigerian Army recruitment portal, select the SSCC option, and click 'Apply Now' for Course 50/2027. After indicating whether they are currently serving or have previously served in the armed forces, applicants register with an email address and follow a verification process before completing the form.
Required documents include a recent passport photograph, educational certificates, a certificate of state of origin, a birth certificate or age declaration, a NIN slip, and a BVN slip. The Army confirmed the process is entirely free of charge.
The Army warned the public to disregard any application portals or announcements that appeared before this official notice and urged all candidates to rely only on information from official Nigerian Army channels.
Officers commissioned through the SSCC programme will receive a 15-year commission, with the first 10 years serving as the initial binding period on the active list. The commission may be renewed for up to five additional years. The Army noted that conversion to a Regular Combatant Commission is possible but is not automatic, and will depend on available vacancies and applicable criteria.
All applications must be submitted by Saturday, October 17, 2026.
Read the Nigerian Army’s full post on X about the new vacancies below:
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Armed Forces get up to 80% pay hike
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu approved salary increases of between 30 and 80 per cent for Nigeria’s armed forces personnel.
The pay package that will benefit approximately 250,000 personnel and take effect from September 1, 2026, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed in a statement.
Source: Legit.ng
