Nigerian Defence Academy NDA: History, Courses and Online Application

The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is a military university based in Kaduna, Nigeria that trains officer cadets for commissioning into one of the three services of the Nigerian Armed Forces: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force established in 1964.

The period of training at the Nigerian Defence Academy is five years (four years academic and one+ year military).

History of NDA

The NDA was established in February 1964 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. The military institution trains the officer corps of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force. 

The first set of class had only 62 cadets, and mostly Indian Army officers as their trainers. The Nigerian National Defence Academy (NDA) follows the pattern of similar NDA in Khadakwasla, Pune, India. The first commandant of NDA was Indian Army Brigadier M.R Verma. The NDA grew to an all Nigerian training staff only in 1978.

In 1985, the academy commenced offering undergraduate programmes to Military Officers In Training and now also currently offers post graduate studies both for M.Sc and Ph.D for both military and civilian students alike. The central mission remains the training of young officer cadets in the 5 year "Regular Combatant Course" in which cadets are groomed in Military, Academic and Character development to instill discipline and leadership skills according to global best practices, culminating in the award of a bachelor's degree and presidential commissioning into the rank of second lieutenant for Army cadets or equivalent in the Navy and Air Force for respective cadets. 

• Faculty of Natural Science
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

NDA Programmes (Courses) Requirements

BSc Biology: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry Any one of the listed subjects: Physics, Further Mathematics  Agricultural Science, Geography, Health Education. 

BSc Biotechnology: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry Any one of the listed subjects: Physics, Further Mathematics  Agricultural Science, Geography, Health Education. 

BSc Chemistry: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics Any one of the listed subjects: Biology or Further Mathematics, Agric Science. 

BSc Mathematics: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics and Physics Any two of the listed subjects: Chemistry, Further Mathematics and Biology, Computer Science, Technical Drawing, Basic Electronics, Basic Electricity  

BSc Physics: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry  Any One Of The Listed Subjects: Biology, Further Mathematics and Technical Drawing and Agricultural Science Basic Electronics, Basic Electricity  

BSc Security and Intelligence Science: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language,  Govt/History Economics, Geography Govt/History and 2 other Arts Subjects 

BSc Military Science: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings English Language,  Economics/Geography Chemistry/Biology,  2  including English Language and Mathematics Physics and Mathematics Computer Studies, Basic Electronics, Basic Electricity and Further Mathematics. 

BSc Computer Science: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics and Physics Any two of the listed subjects: Chemistry, Further Mathematics, Biology/Agric Science  and Computer Studies, Basic Electronics, Basic Electricity.

BSc Cyber Security  5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language,  Physics and Mathematics Economics/Geography Chemistry/Biology, Computer Studies, Basic Electronics, Basic Electricity and Further Mathematics.

BSc Information Technology: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language,  Physics and Mathematics Economics/Geography Chemistry/Biology, Computer Studies, Basic Electronics, Basic Electricity and Further Mathematics

B.Eng Civil Engineering: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics  Technical Drawing, Further Mathematics, Biology, Geography, Building Construction, Agric Science, Wood Work, Metal Work, Computer Studies 

B Eng Electrical and Electronics Engineering: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics Technical Drawing, Further Mathematics, Biology, Geography, Electronic, Computer Studies and Basic Electricity.

B Eng Mechanical Engineering: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics Technical Drawing, Further Mathematics, Biology and Geography, Auto Mechanics, Wood Work, Metal Work, Computer Science.

B Eng Mechatronics: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics Technical Drawing, Further Mathematics, Biology and Geography, Auto Mechanics, Wood Work, Metal Work, Computer Science   

BSc Economics 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Economics and Mathematics Financial Accounting, Commerce, Government, Civic Education, Geography and History, French, Literature in English CRK/IRK 

BA French: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, French and Mathematics Economics, Geography, Government, Civic Education, History, Arabic, CRK/IRK Commerce, Financial Accounting, Literature in English, Home Management and any Nigerian Languages   4  (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) 

BSc Geography: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Geography and Mathematics History, Economics, Government, Civic Education, Physics, Chemistry and Biology/ Agric Science, Visual Arts, Further Mathematics Physics, Physical Education, Health Education, Technical Drawing, Food Nutrition, Home Management (preference will be given to those having credits in Social Science Subjects).

BA History and War Studies: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, History or Government and Mathematics Arabic, Civic Education, Economics, Geography, Commerce, French, Literature in English, CRK/IRK and any Nigerian Languages. 

BSc Political Science and International Relations 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Government/ Civic Education and Mathematics History, Economics, French, Arabic, Geography, Financial Accounting Literature in English, CRK/IRK, Home Management, Commerce and any Nigerian Language. 

BSc Defence and Security Studies: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Government/ Civic Education and Mathematics History, Economics, French, Arabic, Geography, Financial Accounting Literature in English, CRK/IRK, Home Management, Commerce and any Nigerian Language 

BSc Psychology: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Mathematics English Language, Biology and Mathematics Economics, Government, Civic Education, Chemistry, Geography, Health Education, Biology/Agric Science, Lit in English, Commerce Financial Accounting Home Management and Agric Science.

BA Arabic: 5 credit passes in not more than 2 sittings including English Language and Maths English Language, Arabic and Mathematics Economics, Geography, Government, Civic Education, History, French, IRK, Commerce, Financial Accounting, Literature in English, Home Management and any Nigerian Languages.

Online Application Requirements

Prospective Cadets applying for admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) must also apply to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and must select Nigerian Defence Academy as the First Choice of Institution.

Applicants must adhere to all application requirements and conditions before applying for their choice of course(s).

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