For those of you willing and able Nigerians, We have gathered from reliable sources that the Nigerian Army recruitment exercise takes place once or twice every year. Also, you can apply for one of three possible options, depending on your qualifications:
- Regular Recruit Intake: These are the senior school certificate holders applying as foot soldiers
- Short Service Commission (for graduates): These applicants generally have the option of serving between 10 and 14 years in the Nigerian Army. They may choose to exit the army after 10 years, or extend their service by an extra 4 years, or otherwise apply for permanent service afterwards.
- Direct Short Service Commission (for graduates): These are the graduates who wish to practice their trained professions in the Nigerian Army, e.g. as medical doctors, ICT personnel, engineers, and so on.
Also Read- Nigeria Police Recruitment: All you need to know
Stage 1: General requirements for the Nigerian Army recruitment
- You must be at least 18 years of age to apply.
- You must be of Nigerian origin (that is, born of Nigerian parents).
- Non-Trades applicants are to be within the age range of 18 and 22 years; while Trades applicants must be between 18 and 26 years. Trades applicants are those who have undergone training in one skilled work/trade or another and with a trade certificate to show for it (besides having the basic SSCE/GCE/NECO qualification).
- There is also a stipulated height of at least 1.68 meters for males; and at least 1.65 meters for females.
- You must possess at least four credits in GCE, SSCE, NECO or NABTEB, and in maximum of two sittings. Additionally, trades recruits must possess City & Guilds certificate or other recognised Trade test certificate.
- You must possess a valid state of origin certificate.
- You must have a valid National Identity Card and BVN (Bank Verification Number).
- You must have a valid birth certificate or Declaration of Age duly certified by a local government council, the Nigerian Population Commission, or at a registered hospital.
- You must be mentally and physically fit to apply.
- You must not have any record of being convicted of a crime.
- There must be no false or fake documents. Any applicant who submits such false documents, once discovered, will be handed over to the police for prosecution and disqualified.
Stage 2: Nigerian Army recruitment online registration
Once the Nigerian Army recruitment exercise is made public on the internet (and very likely in newspapers), the correct recruitment portal is: https://recruitment.army.mil.ng
Also Read- All You Need to Know About the Nigerian Airforce
where you are required to register and fill an online application form with your details. You will need your active email address to register.
- Ensure that you read all the requirements and instructions for filling the online application form.
- After registration (and confirmation of your email), log in with your chosen username and password.
- Fill in your details which will include: name, address, marital status, number of children if any; parent/guardian name and address, schools attended with years, names & contact information of three referees, and so on. You will also attach your passport sized photo and agree to a ‘Declaration’ before you click ‘Submit’.
- Print out your system generated form. You will also fill and print out a guarantor form. These printouts will be taken to the screening center in your state of origin, along with the following credentials:
- BVN printout
- Passport sized photograph
- Original and photocopies of your birth certificate or Declaration of Age affidavit
- Originals and photocopies of all your certificates (SSCE, GCE, NECO NABTEB, Trade certificates)
- A printout of the letter of identification signed by the identifying officer on your online application form’s Section F.
- Once selected, you can check your name on the Nigerian Army recruitment website and if selected, you will be among the candidates to be screened by partaking in a physical examination at appointed screening centres in (or around) your state of origin.
See the list below for the appointed Nigerian Army screening centres chosen according to zones nationwide:
- * North Central Zone 1 (Benue, Nassarawa, Plateau, Abuja): Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, Makurdi
- * North Central Zone 2 (Kwara, Niger, Kogi): 31 Artillery Brigade Headquarters, Minna
- * North East Zone 1 (Adamawa, Borno, Taraba): 23 Brigade Nigerian Army Headquarters, Yola
- * NORTH EAST ZONE 2 (Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe): 33 Brigade Nigerian Army Headquarters Bauchi
- * North West Zone 1 (Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara): 1 Brigade Headquarters, Sokoto
- * North West Zone 2 (Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina): 1 Division headquarters, Kaduna
- * South East 1 (Abia, Imo): 34 Brigade Nigerian Army Headquarters, Obinze Barracks, Owerri
- * South East 2 (Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu): 82 Division Garrison Headquarters, Enugu
- * South South 1 (Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Rivers): 2 Brigade Headquarters, Port Harcourt
- * South South 2 (Bayelsa, Delta, Edo): 4 Brigade Nigerian Army Headquarters, Benin
- * South West 1 (Lagos, Ogun, Ondo): 32 Artillery Brigade Headquarters, Akure
- * South West 2 (Ekiti, Osun, Oyo): 2 Division, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment Headquarters, Ibadan