The Nigerian Army has announced the commencement of applications for the Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) Course 29/2026, inviting eligible Nigerians to apply for commission as officers.

In a statement posted on X, the army said the DSSC is open to both civilians and serving military personnel, with vacancies available in selected corps, including the Nigerian Army Engineers, Nigerian Army Signals, Nigerian Army Medical Corps, Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and the Nigerian Army Education Corps.

The army said applications are free and must be submitted online. The application window opens on 7 January and closes on 4 February.

Prospective applicants are advised to apply through the Nigerian Army recruitment portal. For further inquiries, the army provided the following contact numbers: 08179269294 and 08109959294, available daily between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

The DSSC scheme allows qualified professionals to be commissioned into the army to provide specialised services in their respective fields.

General requirements

The army in a flier attached to the post, said applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth and aged between 20 and 32 years as of 30 March, with an age limit of up to 40 years for medical consultants.

All applicants are required to be medically, mentally, and physically fit in line with Nigerian Army standards and must meet stipulated physical criteria, including a minimum height of 1.68 metres for males and 1.65 metres for females.

Candidates must be of good character, with no criminal convictions, the army emphasised, noting that applicants must not belong to any cult or secret society, and must not have body inscriptions or tattoos.

Serving military personnel are required to be free from disciplinary cases and must present formal endorsement from their Commanding Officer.

Documentation and educational qualifications

Prospective applicants are required to possess a minimum of a first degree with at least Second Class Lower Division or an HND with Upper Credit from a recognised institution, where applicable.

Academic qualifications considered must have been obtained between 2011 and 2025. Applicants must present valid documentation, including a birth certificate or age declaration endorsed by a recognised authority, a state of origin certificate, and a valid National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge or exemption certificate.

Original copies of all academic certificates will be required during selection. Graduates with professional qualifications must also be fully registered with relevant statutory professional bodies recognised under Nigerian law at the time of commissioning.

Character, referees and other conditions

Applicants must be recommended by at least two reputable referees from their state of origin. Such referees, the army noted, must be either a local government chairperson or secretary, a senior Armed Forces officer not below the rank of lieutenant colonel or equivalent, or an assistant commissioner of police and above.

Referees are required to endorse the application and attach their passport photographs. In addition, applicants must provide valid contact details of their parents or guardians and next of kin as part of the application process.

Specific corps and professional requirements

In addition to the general criteria, applicants must meet corps-specific professional requirements depending on their chosen field.

The DSSC is open to qualified professionals in the Nigerian Army Engineers, Signals, Medical Corps, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, and Education Corps.

These include engineers with relevant degrees in civil, electrical, mechanical, computer and allied disciplines; medical doctors, consultants, nurses, pharmacists and other allied health professionals who are fully registered with their respective councils; and education specialists with recognised teaching or education-related qualifications.

Applicants to these corps are required to possess the appropriate academic degrees, professional certifications, and statutory registrations relevant to their discipline.