The House of Representatives has moved to halt a Nigerian Army policy that automatically combines years of service spent as enlisted personnel with years served as commissioned officers, warning that it is contributing to premature retirements and worsening manpower shortages in the armed forces.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Adamawa lawmaker Zakaria Nyampa, who called for a review of the policy affecting officers commissioned through schemes such as the Short Service Combatant Commission, Direct Short Service Commission, and Direct Regular Commission.
Nyampa explained that under the current system, time spent in service as soldiers, as well as periods spent in training or awaiting commissioning, are added to an officer’s total service years after promotion.
He argued that this approach conflicts with the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service 2017, which defines military service for officers as continuous service from the date of commissioning until retirement.
The lawmaker also cited concerns about fairness and legal compliance, noting that the policy may violate principles of contractual equity and legitimate expectation under the Labour Act.
According to him, the arrangement negatively affects morale, accelerates retirement of experienced officers, increases recruitment costs, and leads to gaps in military manpower and institutional knowledge.
After deliberation, the House urged the Nigerian Army Council to make the merging of service years optional and applicable only at the request of affected officers for pension purposes.
Lawmakers also called for harmonisation of service rules across the Army, Navy, and Air Force to ensure uniformity and fairness in personnel management.
The House further instructed the Chief of Army Staff to initiate sensitisation programmes and issue clear transitional guidelines to prevent confusion during implementation of any revised policy.
It also directed the Army Council to conduct legal and administrative reviews to avoid possible litigation arising from the current framework.
Additionally, the House Committee on Army was mandated to carry out oversight on the matter and report back within four weeks.
The issue centres on how military service years are calculated for personnel who began as enlisted soldiers before later becoming commissioned officers, a practice critics say shortens career duration and disadvantages affected officers compared to direct-entry counterparts.
Concerns over the policy have continued to grow within military circles amid ongoing national security challenges requiring experienced personnel retention
