The Nigerian Army has commenced the 2026 Senior Staff Course Qualifying Examination (SSCQE) for 274 officers at the Jaji Military Cantonment in Kaduna State, as part of the requirements for admission into the Senior Command and Staff Course.
The five-day examination, which began on Sunday at the Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre, Jaji, is aimed at assessing the officers’ professional competence and leadership abilities as they seek to advance their military careers.
Speaking at the commencement of the examination in Jaji, the Commander, Training and Doctrine Command, Nigerian Army (TRADOC NA), and President of the Examination Board, Maj.-Gen. Peter Malla, urged the candidates to remain focused, confident and committed to maintaining the highest standards of discipline and integrity throughout the exercise.
Malla said the examination was crucial to the career progression of the participating officers and an important requirement for admission into the Senior Command and Staff Course.
He explained that the examination was being conducted in line with the current syllabus approved by the Nigerian Army, with emphasis on subjects designed to strengthen military leadership and professional competence.
According to him, the ongoing transformation of the Nigerian Army, particularly in professional military education, requires officers to demonstrate a high level of competence.
Malla expressed confidence that the candidates would perform excellently, saying he expected nothing less than a 100 per cent pass rate.
The examination president also charged members of the Directing Staff to remain objective and professional in their assessments and strictly follow the rules and regulations governing the examination.
He urged the candidates to uphold discipline and integrity in line with the core values of the Nigerian Army.
Malla assured the candidates that the assessment would be objective, transparent and accountable, while urging them to put in their best.
He warned that any form of examination malpractice would attract disqualification and possible prosecution in accordance with the Nigerian Army Charter for Promotion Examinations (Revised) 2022 and the Armed Forces Act, CAP A20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The commander also announced that the Chief of Army Staff would continue the practice of rewarding the first, second and third best overall candidates with Certificates of Excellence, Letters of Commendation and cash gifts.
He added that the best performers in individual subjects would also be rewarded in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s Command Philosophy of rewarding excellence and sanctioning incompetence.
Earlier, the Commander, Infantry Corps, Maj.-Gen. Godwin Mutkut, welcomed the candidates to Jaji and assured them that the necessary arrangements had been made for the smooth conduct of the five-day examination.
Senior officers from Army Headquarters and formations across the Nigerian Army attended the commencement of the exercise.
