Nigerian Army DSSC 29/2026 Recruitment 2026

Nigerian Army Recruitment: Direct Short Service Commission Course 29/2026

Nigerian Army DSSC Course 29/2026 invites eligible Nigerians to apply for commission as Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) officers. The call covers civilians and serving military personnel, but there is a tight condition for serving personnel. Only serving personnel who were sponsored to civilian schools by any Service under the Nigerian Armed Forces will be considered. That single line changes who can truly apply.

The corps open for this course are:

• Nigerian Army Engineers
• Nigerian Army Signals
• Nigerian Army Medical Corps
• Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
• Nigerian Army Education Corps

Entry requirements

Applicants need to meet every condition below. Not most of them. All of them.

• The applicant must be Nigerian, as defined by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
• The applicant must be male or female, aged 20 to 32 years by 30 March 2026. Medical consultants may be 25 to 40 years by 30 March 2026.
• The applicant must be medically, mentally, and physically fit, based on Nigerian Army standards.
• The applicant must get a character attestation from at least two referees. These referees must be either:
  • a Government Chairman/Secretary, or
  • an Armed Forces officer not below Lieutenant Colonel (or equivalent), or
  • an Assistant Commissioner of Police (or above).
    The referees must hail from the applicant’s state of origin, and the referees’ passport photographs must be attached to the attestation letter.
• The applicant must submit an attestation letter from former schools attended.
• Height must be at least 1.68m for males, and 1.65m for females.
• The applicant must not have any court conviction. Serving personnel must also have no disciplinary case and must get endorsement from their Commanding Officer or Commander.
• The applicant must hold at least a first degree with not less than Second Class Upper Division, or an HND (where relevant) with not less than Upper Credit, from an accredited school of learning.
• The applicant must have a valid birth certificate endorsed by the National Population Commission, a Hospital, or a Local Government Council, or a valid age declaration.
• The applicant must have a valid state of origin certificate.
• The applicant must have an NYSC discharge certificate, or a valid exemption certificate (as proper).
• Graduates with professional qualifications must be registered with the right regulating bodies recognised by Nigerian law, by the start of cadet training.
• Only post-secondary credentials gained from 2011 up to the present time will be accepted.
• The applicant must provide valid contact addresses and phone numbers for parents/guardians and Next of Kin (where it applies).
• The applicant must not have bodily inscriptions or tattoos. No tattoos. None.
• The applicant must present original copies of all educational certificates, from primary to post-secondary.
• Serving personnel must present valid military ID cards and a letter of recommendation from their Commanding Officers or Commanders. They must also show valid letter(s) of Service sponsorship to tertiary academic schools (where it applies). They must have served for at least 5 years.
• The applicant must not belong to any cult, society, or fraternity.

That is a long list, yes. Anyway, the list is also the point. The process rewards careful people.

Corps and services: what each one expects

Applicants apply into one corps, based on qualification and fit.

Nigerian Army Engineers

Applicants need a minimum of BSc or BEng (Second Class Upper) or HND (Upper Credit) in one of these areas:

• Quantity Survey
• Architecture
• Building Engineering/Technology
• Estate Management
• GIS/Survey
• Geology
• Urban and Regional Planning

The academic field must be registered with the Nigerian Society of Engineers and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), or other regulating professional bodies.

Nigerian Army Signals

Applicants need a minimum of BSc, BTech, or BEng (Second Class Upper) or HND (Upper Credit) in areas such as:

• Electrical/Electronic Engineering
• Computer Science
• Computer Engineering
• Cyber Security
• Software Developer
• Software Engineering
• Telecommunications Engineering
• Control Security Engineering
• Network Design and Engineering
• UAV Pilot
• Geographic Information Systems Engineering
• Microwave Engineering
• Database Management Engineering and Administration
• Project Manager Engineering and System Control Engineering
• Satellite Communication Engineering

That reminds me, people often read this list too fast. They miss their exact wording, then pick the wrong option online.

Nigerian Army Medical Corps

All Medical Corps applicants must show proof of registration with the right professional bodies and a current practising licence.

1) Medical and Dental Consultants (various disciplines)
Fields may include General Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Anaesthesia, Neuro-Surgery, Cardiothoracic, ENT Surgery, Physicians (Cardiologists, Endocrinologist, Nephrologists and Neurologists), Ophthalmologists, Obstetrics and Gynaecologists, Paediatrics, Family Medicine, Dentistry, and any other recognised specialty.

Consultants must also meet these points:

• Must be a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, or an equivalent Postgraduate Medical College.
• Must not be more than 40 years old by 30 March 2026.
• Must have full registration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for the undergraduate degree, plus added qualification registration where it applies.
• Must have a current MDCN licence to practise as a specialist.

2) Medical Doctors (non-consultants)
Applicants must have MBBS (or BDS for dental surgeons), must be fully registered with MDCN, and must hold a current practising licence.

Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Applicants need a minimum of BEng or BSc (Eng) (Second Class Upper) or HND (Upper Credit) in:

• Mechanical/Automotive Engineering
• Electrical/Electronics Engineering
• Mechatronics/Robotics Engineering
• Material/Metallurgical Engineering
• Industrial/Production Engineering
• Physics/Electronics Engineering
• Weapon Engineering
• Computer/Software Engineering
• Aircraft Maintenance Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering
• Systems/Avionics Engineering

The academic field must be registered with the Nigerian Society of Engineers and COREN, or other regulating professional bodies.

Nigerian Army Education Corps

Applicants need a minimum of BSc (Ed) or BA (Ed) (Second Class Upper) or HND (Upper Credit) in:

• Mathematics
• Computer Science/ICT
• Library and Information Science

Education Corps applicants must show proof of registration with their professional regulatory bodies.

Conditions of service

DSSC service lasts for 15 years. A DSSC officer who later converts to Direct Regular Commission (DRC) may serve up to 35 years in the Nigerian Army.

Other service conditions:

• DSSC officers serve probation for the first 3 years.
• Conversion to DRC is not automatic. The officer applies, and the Army decides based on eligibility.
• All graduating officer cadets sign acceptance of the DSSC terms and conditions before commission.
• For civilians, the reckonable service period counts from the start date of cadet training. For serving personnel, it counts from the date of enlistment.
• Medical Consultants who pass military training receive the rank of Major, with seniority from the date of commission.
• Officer cadets who pass military training receive the rank of Lieutenant (medical consultants excluded), with seniority from the date of commission.

On a side note, that rank detail matters for expectations. It shapes what happens after training.

Method of application

Applications are online and free of charge. The window runs from 7 January 2026 to 4 February 2026.

How to apply (online steps)

• Visit the Nigerian Army recruitment portal for DSSC applications and choose the DSSC option.
• Read the qualification criteria shown for the ongoing DSSC courses.
• Select “Apply Now” for the DSSC that matches the applicant’s qualification and chosen corps.
• When prompted, choose the right status (serving or has served in the Armed Forces of Nigeria, or not).
• Create an account using “Sign Up” (email verification applies), or log in with existing details.
• Complete the form and upload the required documents, including:
  • Passport photograph
  • Educational certificates
  • Evidence of membership of a professional body (where it applies)
  • Certificate of state of origin
  • Birth certificate or age declaration
  • NIN/BVN

A small thing, but it matters: uploads should be clear. Blurry pages waste time. People still do it.

Print out

After the online form is complete, applicants print the generated slip or card.

• Page 1 must be signed by the Registrar or any Court of Law.
• Page 2 must be signed by the applicant’s Local Government Chairman/Secretary, or a military officer of Lieutenant Colonel rank (or equivalent) and above, or an Assistant Commissioner of Police and above. The signatory must hail from the applicant’s state of origin.

Successful candidates will present printed forms (slip or card), guarantors form, attestation form, and related documents to the Selection Board during the interview stage.

Closing date

All applications must be submitted online not later than 4 February 2026.

Further inquiries

For questions, call 08179269294 or 08109959294 between 0800 and 1800 hours (8am to 6pm) daily.

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This post is authored by Olusegun Fapohunda, the founder and editor of MySchoolGist.

Boasting over a decade of expertise in the education sector, Olusegun offers current insights into educational trends, career opportunities, and the latest news.

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