Nigerian Air Force: Recruitment, Portal, Exams, Courses in 2023-2024 [ONGOING]

The Nigerian Air Force Recruitment for 2023-2024 is ONGOING! A military career can be very fulfilling and rewarding if you are passionate about serving your country.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is a branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is the Air component of the Nigerian military, and they are currently recruiting. Learn how to Apply NOW for the NAF BMTC 2023

Occasionally the NAF advertises opportunities for citizens willing to dedicate their lives to the nation’s service. In this post, we will discuss the Nigerian Air Force Recruitment, the guidelines you must follow, the forms you should fill out, the portal for submission, exams, and courses you can take toward a career in NAF.

The Nigerian Armed forces is a big recruiter in Nigeria with a manpower of 162,000 enthusiastic staff and a reserve of 32,000. The Air Force alone has up to 10,000 staff. Every year, the Air Force seeks young, vibrant, and educated Nigerians who wish to enroll for service.

While some service positions in the Air Force require the most basic level of education, others require educated applicants. The NAF even has an educational institution for grooming military and civilians in different disciplines. This shows the progressiveness and diversity of the force toward nation-building.

About the Nigerian Air Force

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was established on 18th April 1964 as the Nigerian Armed Forces air branch. Together with the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Navy, they comprise the Nigerian Armed Forces. However, the NAF is one of the largest in Africa, with a total manpower size of about 10,000 personnel.

The National Assembly’s Air Force Act of 1964 established the NAF. This Act stated that the “Nigerian Air Force shall be charged with the defense of the Federal Republic by air, and to give effect thereto; the personnel shall be trained in such duties as in the air as well as on the ground.”

Consequently, the Act states the main purposes of the NAF to be:

• Achieving a full complement of the military defense system of the Federal Republic of Nigeria both in the air and on the ground.
• Ensuring fast, versatile mobility of the Armed Forces.
• Providing close support for the ground-based and seaborne forces in all phases of operations and ensuring the territorial integrity of a united Nigeria.
• Giving the country the deserved prestige that is invaluable in international matters.

Currently, the Nigerian Air Force has five Commands. They are the Tactical Air Command with headquarters in Makurdi. The Special Operations Command with headquarters in Bauchi. The Mobility Command with Headquarters in Yenagoa. The Training Command with headquarters in Kaduna. And finally, the Logistics Command with headquarters in Lagos.

However, the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters in Abuja comprises nine staff branches responsible for policy formulation. These staff branches are Policy and Plans, Training and Operations, Aircraft Engineering, Logistics, and Communications. The Administration, Standards, and Evaluations Air Secretary, Accounts and Budget, and Medical Services.

You can also compare the salaries of the NDA. See our Nigerian Defence Academy: NDA Recruitment, Portal, Courses, Ranks, & Salaries, in 2023.

Nigerian Air Force Recruitment

If you want to serve at the NAF, this is your section. Yearly, the NAF advertises vacancies for DSSC and BMTC. The BMTC is the Basic Military Training Centre, while the DSSC is the Direct Short Service Commission.

Currently, the application for BMTC for 2023-2024 is ONGOING. It began on 24 July 2023 and will close on 21 August 2023.

Here is the recruitment information for each of the NAF categories.

BMTC Recruitment

To be eligible for BMTC recruitment, you must be a Nigerian citizen by birth. Also, your age range must be between 18 and 22 for non-tradesmen/women and 18 and 25 years for tradesmen/women by 30 June 2023. However, if you apply as assistant chaplains/assistant imams and drivers, you must be between 18 and 28 years old.

In addition, you’ll have to be single and meet the medical fitness standard of the Nigerian Air Force medical and employment standards. You’ll also have to attain a height of 1.66 meters or 5.4ft for males and 1.63 meters or 5.3ft for females.

You’ll also have to get an attestation form that a military officer from your state must sign for you. After this, you’ll provide several other original credentials. Some of these credentials include two recently signed passport photographs, birth certificates, and an indigeneship certificate.

The educational/professional qualification for the BMTC is a minimum of five (5) credits for Non-Tradesmen/Women in SSCE, NECO, GCE, or NABTEB. However, the minimum requirement for Tradesmen is an ND (with a minimum of Lower Credit), NABTEB, RN/RM/NCE, or City & Guild Certificate.

As a Tradesman/Woman with only Trade Test Certificate, you can also be eligible if you have a minimum of 2 passes in GCE/SSCE/NECO, including the English Language.

How to Apply for the Air Force BMTC Recruitment 2023

The Nigerian Air Force BMTC Recruitment application for 2023-2024 is online. To commence your application, visit https://airforce.mil.ng/apply-now

Upon clicking the above link, select the button with BMTC and fill up all the required fields.

After completing your application, ensure to print out the following documents:

• Local Government Indigeneship Form.
• Attestation Form to be signed by a Military Officer or Local Government Chairman of the Applicant. This form should return with the passport photograph and photocopy of the signee’s Driver’s Licence, International Passport, or National ID Card. The signee will also authenticate your passport photograph.
• Parent/Guardian Consent Form.
• Acknowledgment Form.

It is important to note that the NAF BMTC online registration Starts on 24 July 2023 and ends on 21 August 2023.

After registration, the Nigerian Air Force will conduct a recruitment interview.

Candidates fret when they hear words like exams, tests, assessments, and interviews. You needn’t start getting scared for the Nigerian Air Force BMTC Recruitment Interview. The NAF Past Questions and Answers provide you with likely assessment questions for recruitment and interview tips.

Get the NAF Past Questions here, and proceed to your BMTC recruitment by clicking the link below.

Start Application

DSSC Recruitment

The NAF selects applicants for the Direct Short Service Commission from the Department of Engineering, Medicine, Medical Consultants, Vet Medicine, and ICT/Sciences. They include Sports, Education/Language, Administration/Finance, Logistics, Chaplaincy/Islam Affairs, and Legal Studies.

NAF accepts applicants with degrees from any of these departments, and the minim degree to qualify is a Higher National Diploma (HND).

Generally, to apply for the DSSC, you must possess a Bachelor’s Degree with second-class Upper division or HND with Upper Credit. In addition, you must have completed your National Youth Service and have your NYSC Discharge Certificate or Letter of Exemption from NYSC when applying. Where applicable, you must be certified and have certificates of complete registration with your statutory professional bodies in Nigeria.

If you are a male applicant, you must be up to 1.66 meters tall. Female applicants, on the other hand, must not be less than 1.63 meters tall. Furthermore, the age bracket for the DSSC application is between 22 and 30 years and 22 to 35 years for Consultants.

Also, to write the NAF enlistment exercise, you must choose among the 15 zonal enlistment exercise centers. These locations are in major cities, including Lagos, Enugu, Jos, Port-Harcourt, Benin, Sokoto, Kano, and Kaduna.

Meanwhile, you must print out the Attestation Form and Acknowledgment Card after applying for DSSC online. Also, when going for the zonal enlistment exercise, you should appear with a copy of your birth certificate, original education certificates, and NYSC discharge certificates.

These are not the only certification requirements for the DSSC. However, for additional information on DSSC recruitment, visit the Nigerian Air Force recruitment website using the link below.

DSSC Link

Nigerian Air Force Recruitment Portal

The Nigerian Air Force does not contract any third party to do their recruitment. Whenever there is a call for application to any of the above-listed positions, NAF advertises it on the career section of their site, which are the links you have above.

You must visit the Nigerian Air Force Recruitment portal to apply for positions. You can access the Nigerian Air Force recruitment form at this portal.

Please note that the form is not for sale. It is free of charge, as well as the whole application process. You will also find this disclaimer on the portal, so beware of third-party organizations and cyber cafes that ask you to pay to get the Nigerian Air Force Recruitment form.

Therefore, whenever they announce an application, use the Nigerian Air Force recruitment portal to proceed with your NAF recruitment. Find the link below.

NAF Recruitment Portal

Nigerian Air Force Exam Date

After applying, the next step in NAF recruitment is the call for zonal enlistment exercise. The BMTC and the DSSC don’t schedule recruitment simultaneously, so you must actively follow the NAF to know when it’s time for recruitment.

However, the NAF advertised for BMTC recruitment this year. The online registration began on 12th January 2023 and closed on 23rd February 2023. Afterward, NAF invited qualified applicants for the zonal enlistment exercise from Saturday, March 9 to Saturday, March 23, 2023.

NAF will also invite the candidates that qualify from the enlistment exercise for the Final Selection Interview Exercise. The NAF will then publish the names of the candidates who pass this stage for Basic Military Training.

On the other hand, the NAF advertised for DSSC last year, 2022. The online registration began on 19 October 2023 and ended on 16 November 2023.

You may also like to check out the Nigerian Police Force (NPF): recruitment, Portal, Exams, and Courses in 2023.

Since the NAF recruits annually, it is worth checking the career section of its website for recruitment announcements. There probably won’t be an advertisement for BMTC, as NAF has recruited for that position this year. However, you may anticipate October of this year for a DSSC recruitment announcement.

Nigerian Air Force University

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Kaduna is the NAF’s educational institution. Although nobody has formally named it a university, the AFIT is a tertiary institution with a blend of military and civilian staff and students.

It has accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the National Universities Commission (NUC). The Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN) and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). The Institute offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Aerospace Engineering and allied disciplines.

Nigerian Air Force Courses

The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) offers Nigerian Air Force courses. The Institute offers Degree, Diploma, and Postgraduate programs for Undergraduates, Postgraduates, and ILPC.

Also, the faculties that offer these programs are Air Engineering, Computing, Ground and Communications Engineering, Social and Management Sciences, Science, and the School of Postgraduate Studies.

Degree Courses

Here are the approved courses/programs by the various faculties and departments.

• Master’s Program (M.Sc): Aerospace Vehicle Design and Thermal Power
• Post Graduate Diploma (PGD): Aerospace Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Construction Technology, and Logistics and supply chain management
• First Degree Programs (B.Eng. & B.Sc.): For B.Eng., AFIT offers Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Information & Communication Technology, Automotive Engineering, and Civil Engineering. However, for B.SC., AFIT offers Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Marketing, and Cyber Security. Eleven (11) courses in all.

In addition, AFIT has added new courses to its course list. They are:

• Mechatronics Engineering (B.Eng)
• Metallurgical and Material Engineering (B.Eng)
• Telecommunication Engineering (B.Eng)
• Computer Science (B.Sc)
• Chemistry (B.Sc)
• Mathematics (B.Sc)
• Physics (B.Sc)
• Physics with Electronics (B.Sc)
• Marketing (B.Sc)
• Statistics (B.Sc)
• International relation (B.Sc), and
• Banking and finance (B.Sc).

Diploma Courses

The Nigerian Air Force also offers diploma courses in its various faculties. Here is the list of NAF diploma courses by department.

• School Of Postgraduate Studies (PGD): Aircraft Engineering Technology (Avionics), Supply Chain and Management, Aircraft Engineering Technology (Power Plant), and Electrical Electronics Engineering.
• Air Engineering Faculty/Department of Aircraft Maintenance: ND Aircraft Engineering Technology, HND Aircraft Engineering Technology (Avionics), and HND Aircraft Engineering Technology (Power Plant)
• Faculty of Social and Management Sciences/Department of Supply and Management: ND Economics, Business Administration and Management (ND), and HND Purchasing and Supply.
• Ground and Communication Engineering Faculty / Department of Electrical Electronics Engineering: ND Electrical Electronics Engineering, and HND Electrical Electronics Engineering.
• For their Department of Mechanical and Ground Engineering, however, AFIT offers ND Mechanical Engineering.

You can also check out the Federal Govt Scholarship for Undergraduate, HND, NCE, and Postgraduate 2023/2024 to help you complete your diploma.

Initial License Preparatory Course (ILPC)

This preparatory course is designed for military personnel and civilians in aircraft maintenance. The course gives individuals an excellent foundation to undertake and pass the NCAA examinations successfully. Passing the NCAA exam is required to issue Aircraft Maintenance Engineers’ Licence.

Meanwhile, AFIT has accreditation by the National Universities Commission and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to conduct Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Licence Preparatory Course, among others.

The Air Force Institute of Technology concluded its Sixth Initial Licence Preparatory Course in November 2023. It has now commenced the next Initial Licence Preparatory Course (ILPC 07) for candidates desiring to obtain the NCAA’s Aircraft Maintenance Engineers’ Licence.

Furthermore, this Nigerian Air Force course is open to the general public and will commence in March 2023. It will last for 24 weeks, however. Also, this Nigerian Air Force course allows you to select from either Airframe and Gas Turbine Engine or Avionics and Instruments.

Eligibility Criteria

To be Eligible for ILPC, you:

• Must be holders of the Post Graduate Diploma in Aerospace Engineering with a minimum pass from AFIT Kaduna.
• May also hold a Higher National Diploma in Aircraft Engineering Technology with a minimum of a lower credit pass from AFIT Kaduna.
• You may as well hold an equivalent qualification to the ones listed above from other recognized institutions if you don’t have either.
• Should be a BSc/BEng in Aerospace Engineering and related fields from a reputable Institution.
• May also be a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) personnel with adequate cognate fieldwork experience of not less than 10 years and type training on any NAF aircraft.

Applying for NAF IPLC:

To Apply for this Nigerian Air Force course, however, you:

• Are to visit the AFIT Website.
• You should navigate to the Admission menu and select ILPC.
• You will have to create a new profile with your email address and make an online payment of N10,000.00 to complete the process.

Note that this payment is non-refundable. Also, note that the online application for this Nigerian Air Force course closes 4 weeks from publication.

Meanwhile, serving military personnel must complete their registration within two weeks of the publication.

See also: Nigerian Navy: Recruitment, Portal, Exams, Courses, Ranks in 2023.

Nigerian Air Force Ranks & Salaries

Because the British colonized Nigeria, the rank structure of the Nigerian Air Force is quite similar to the British Royal Air Force. Also, based on educational qualifications and expertise, the NAF groups its officers into two categories. The Commissioned Officers and the Non-Commissioned Officers.

Non-commissioned officers are usually those force officers who join the service with the minimum qualification. In most cases, the qualification required is primary school education (First School Leaving Certificate for Nigeria).

On the other hand, the Non-Commissioned Officers are those officers that join the service with a degree certificate. There is a guaranteed career path for these as they can rise to take on more significant opportunities.

Here is the salary structure of the Nigerian Air Force officers based on the grouping of their ranks.

Non-Commissioned Officer’s Ranks & Salaries

The Nigerian Air Force for non-commissioned officers has nine (9) ranks. Here are the ranks and their monthly salaries according to Legit.ng, a reliable Nigerian website.

1. Air Warrant Officer: N171,793
2. Master Warrant Officer: N165,697
3. Warrant Officer: N101,974
4. Flight Sergeant: N87,119
5. Sergeant: N69,261
6. Corporal: N58,634
7. Lance-Corpora: N55,832
8. Aircraftman: N53,892, and
9. Recruit (Cadet): N44,564.

Nigerian Air Force Ranks for Commissioned officers

However, the commissioned officers have eleven (11) ranks. Here is their salary structure, still according to Legit.ng.

1. Marshal of the Nigerian Air Force
2. Air Chief Marshal: N1,724,283
3. Marshal (Air): 1,486,451
4. Air Vice-Marshal: N1,376,343
5. Commodore (Air): N677,895
6. Group Captain: N352,631
7. Wing Commander: N342,586
8. Squadron Leader: N248,004
9. Flight Lieutenant: N232,484
10. Flying Officer: N218,400, and
11. Pilot Officer: N187,159.

Frequently Asked Questions | NAF Recruitment

In Conclusion

The Nigerian Airforce is the Nigerian Armed Forces Air branch and is a significant labor employer. Yearly, the Nigerian Air Force opens its recruitment portal to accept applications for BMTC and DSSC.

You must complete the Nigerian Air Force recruitment form to complete your application. This application is free of charge, and you will always find it in NAF’s recruitment portal whenever there is a call for application.

However, you can also take university-grade courses and degrees from the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology. This NAF Institute offers courses to both military personnel and civilians.

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