The Nigerian Army has announced the opening of applications for the Short Service Combatant Commission, SSCC, Course 50/2027 for qualified civilians and serving military personnel.
Successful applicants will be commissioned as Short Service Combatant officers and deployed to the Combat Arms, comprising Infantry and Armour, and the Combat Support Arms, including Artillery, Engineers, Signals and Intelligence Corps.
The Army announced this in a recruitment notice issued on Tuesday, inviting eligible Nigerians to apply for the commission. The application will open on Friday, August 14, 2026, and close on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
According to the notice, the recruitment is open to both civilians and serving “soldiers/ratings/airmen” who meet the stipulated requirements.
Applicants must be Nigerian citizens by birth, aged between 23 and 27 as of January 10, 2027, and medically, mentally and physically fit according to the Nigerian Army’s standards; male applicants must be at least 1.68 metres tall, while female applicants must be at least 1.65 metres.
For academic qualifications, applicants must possess at least a first degree with a minimum of Second Class Lower Division or a HND with a minimum of Lower Credit in the arts, sciences or humanities from an accredited university or other institution of higher learning. The Army said only tertiary academic credentials obtained from 2018 onwards would be considered.
Civilian applicants must possess an NYSC discharge certificate, while serving military personnel are required to present an NYSC exemption certificate.
Civilian applicants must also obtain letters of attestation from their degree-awarding institutions and recommendations from at least two recognised referees who meet the specified requirements.
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Applicants must not have been convicted by any court of law, belong to any cult or secret society, or have body inscriptions or tattoos.
Interested candidates are required to visit the official Nigerian Army recruitment portal and select the SSCC option.
Applicants should click on “Apply Now” for SSCC Course 50/2027 and indicate whether they are serving or have previously served in the Armed Forces.
They will then register with an email address, after which a verification link will be sent to the registered email. Applicants can use the link to create a password and log in to complete the application form.
Applicants are required to upload a recent passport photograph, educational certificates, certificate of state of origin, birth certificate or age declaration, NIN slip and BVN slip as part of the application process.
The Army has said the application is free of charge. It warned members of the public to disregard “any online application portal or recruitment announcement purportedly opened before this official publication” and advised applicants to rely only on information released through official Nigerian Army channels.
According to the force, officers commissioned under the SSCC scheme will receive a 15-year commission, with 10 years on the active list serving as the initial bonding period. The commission may subsequently be renewed for a period not exceeding five years.
The Army said SSCC officers would also have the opportunity to convert to a Regular Combatant Commission. However, it stressed that conversion is not automatic and will depend on available vacancies and other applicable criteria.
Applicants are advised to complete their forms accurately, as errors or omissions may lead to disqualification.The deadline for submission of applications is Saturday, October 17, 2026.
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