In this article, we’ll answer the following questions: Can I apply for NDA without JAMB? What is NDA? What are the requirements for NDA short service?
What is NDA?
NDA is the abbreviation for the Nigerian Defense Academy. The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), which is a military university based in Kaduna, Nigeria, trains officer cadets for commissioning into one of the three services of the Nigerian Armed Forces: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. The duration of training at the Nigerian Defense Academy is usually five years (four years academic and one year military) and nine months for its Direct Short Service.
Established in February 1964, the NDA was set up as a reformation of the British-run Royal Military Forces Training College (RMFTC), which had been renamed the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) on independence.
Can I apply for NDA without JAMB?
Yes, you can apply for National Defense Academy (NDA) Direct Short Service without a JAMB (Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board) examination result. JAMB isn’t a requirement for admission into the National Defense Academy (NDA) Direct Short Service.
Youth of both genders who are unable to enter the Nigerian Defence Academy often turn to the DSSC after completing their tertiary education from universities, polytechnics, etc. The DSSC is a 9-month military training program for individuals with diverse backgrounds to become officers in non-combat roles in the Army, Navy, and Air Force. These individuals serve mainly in administrative capacities and can advance in rank, but they have limits and cannot reach the highest level of the military unless they are NDA graduates who have completed the standard 4-5 year NDA program.
The Nigerian Defense Academy Short Service is not like the other NDA courses. The courses do take place once in a while, and individuals are encouraged to register. It’s highly competitive.
Every year, only 100 cadets are admitted to register for the Nigerian Defense Academy Short Service. This means that only 300 people are admitted for the course.
Cadets from other African countries, like Ghana, are also given admission into the Nigerian Defense Academy’s Direct Short Service course. The course commonly begins between July and August every year.
After the examination, the school management releases the results without hesitation. In most instances, the exams are written around February of each year, and the results are usually released in April of each year.
The results determine those who will be shortlisted by the school authority. After the short listing, those successful aspirants are given a date for the interview. They usually go through a couple of screening processes. Those who successfully go through these various stages without failing will then be admitted to the NDA program.
Requirements for NDA Direct Short Service
- Must be a Nigerian, as defined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
- Must be a male or female between the ages of 20 and 30 years. Medical consultants could be between 25 and 40 years old.
- Must be medically, mentally, and physically fit according to NA standards
- Be recommended and attested to for his/her good character by at least 2 recognizable referees who are either a Local Government Chairman/Secretary or an officer of the Armed Forces not below the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or equivalent, or an Assistant Commissioner of Police and above who must hail from the applicant’s state of origin. Also, passport photographs of referees must be affixed to the letter of attestation.
- Applicants must submit a letter of attestation from their former institutions.
- Measure in height at least 1.68 m for males and 1.65 m for females.
- Must not have been convicted by any court of law. Military personnel applying must be free from any disciplinary case and have been endorsed by the applicant’s Commanding Officer or Commander.
- Must have at least a first degree with not less than Second Class Lower Division or HND of not less than Lower Credit from any accredited institution of learning.
- Should have a valid birth certificate endorsed by the National Population Commission, a hospital, or the Local Government Council, or a valid age declaration.
- Must have a valid certificate of state of origin.
- Aspirants must have a NYSC discharge certificate or a valid exemption certificate, as appropriate.
- Graduates with professional qualifications must be duly registered by relevant regulating bodies recognized by Nigerian law at the commencement of cadet training.
- Only postsecondary academic credentials obtained from 2011 to date will be considered.
- Aspirants must present valid contact addresses and telephone numbers of their parents, guardians, and Next of Kin.
- Candidates should not have any bodily inscriptions or tattoos.
- Candidates should tender all original copies of educational certificates (primary to postsecondary).
- Service personnel should present valid military identity cards and letters of recommendation from their commanding officers or commanders. They must also present valid letter(s) of NA sponsorship to tertiary academic institutions (where applicable). Additionally, they must have served for a period of not less than 5 years in the unit.
- Candidates should not belong to any cult, society, or fraternity.
- Candidates with the ability to swim will have an added advantage.