The Nigerian Army has commenced the 2026 Senior Staff Course Qualifying Examination (SSCQE), a key assessment for the career progression of senior officers.
At the opening of the exercise, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, urged members of the examination panel to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, fairness and integrity throughout the process.
According to a statement posted on the Nigerian Army’s official X account on Wednesday, the examination began on August 2, 2026, and is being conducted simultaneously at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Postgraduate School, Kaduna, and the Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre, Jaji, Kaduna State.
The statement, signed by the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Lieutenant Colonel Felicia Daniel, explained that the examination is designed to identify officers eligible for advanced military training in Nigeria and abroad.
Representing the Chief of Army Staff at the opening ceremony, the President of the Examination and Commander of TRADOC, Major General Peter Malla, stressed that the credibility of the Army’s examination process must be protected at all times.
He noted that the officers appointed to supervise the examination were selected based on their competence, professionalism and proven track records.
Malla urged the panel members to remain impartial, objective and fully compliant with the examination guidelines to ensure that only qualified and deserving officers advance.
Describing the examination as a significant milestone in the professional development of Nigerian Army officers, he said successful candidates would become eligible for admission into the Senior Staff Course at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College and other recognised military institutions around the world.
He also expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff for providing the resources and support needed to ensure the successful conduct of the exercise, assuring that TRADOC would remain committed to achieving its objectives.
Also speaking, the Commander of the Infantry Corps Centre, Major General Godwin Mutkut, disclosed that extensive administrative, logistical and security measures had been put in place to guarantee a smooth and hitch-free examination.
Mutkut praised the Army Headquarters and the Training and Doctrine Command for their efforts in planning and coordinating the exercise, adding that maintaining the integrity of the examination is crucial to producing future military leaders capable of addressing the country’s evolving security challenges.
The 2026 Senior Staff Course Qualifying Examination is scheduled to run until August 14, 2026, with participating officers taking the examination concurrently at the designated centres in Kaduna State.