The Nigerian Air Force has announced that candidates who successfully passed its 2025 Zonal General Aptitude Test have been shortlisted for the next phase of its recruitment exercise, the Selection Board Interview, for enlistment into the Basic Military Training Course 46/2025.
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Public Relations and Information at the Air Force Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame. According to the statement, the list of successful candidates has been published on the official recruitment portal of the Air Force, providing applicants with details of their status and subsequent steps in the recruitment process.
The Selection Board Interview is scheduled to take place at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Kaduna, with proceedings set to run from April 27 to June 13, 2026. The Air Force indicated that the exercise will accommodate both Trades and Non-Tradesmen and Women, reflecting its commitment to recruiting personnel across a wide range of professional and technical disciplines.
In the statement, the Air Force called on all shortlisted candidates to carefully review the information provided on the portal, particularly regarding their assigned batch schedules. It emphasised that adherence to the stipulated dates is mandatory, warning that any candidate who fails to report on the designated date will be automatically disqualified from the exercise.
“The Nigerian Air Force hereby notifies the general public that candidates who were successful in the Zonal General Aptitude Test conducted across 15 NAF Bases on December 5, 2025, are invited to attend the Selection Board Interview,” the statement read.
It further stressed that strict compliance with the reporting schedule is essential for the smooth conduct of the exercise, noting that the process has been carefully organised to manage the large number of applicants expected to participate.
The Air Force also reiterated its long-standing policy that the recruitment process is entirely free of charge. It cautioned candidates against making payments to individuals or groups claiming to offer assistance in securing admission into the service. According to the statement, any demand for payment in connection with the recruitment exercise should be treated as fraudulent and reported to the appropriate authorities.
“The Nigerian Air Force wishes to emphasise that the entire recruitment process is completely free of charge, and candidates are strongly advised not to make any payment at any stage of the exercise,” the spokesperson added.
The current stage of the recruitment exercise follows the Zonal General Aptitude Test conducted in December 2025, which attracted over 20,000 applicants from across the country. The test was held simultaneously at 15 designated centres nationwide, including Sokoto, Minna, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Maiduguri, Yola, Makurdi, Jos, Ilorin, Ipetu-Ijesa, Enugu, Benin, Port Harcourt, and Ikeja.
The Air Force had at the time described the decentralised approach as part of efforts to ensure inclusiveness, accessibility, and equal opportunity for candidates from all regions of Nigeria. By spreading the examination centres across multiple locations, the service aimed to reduce logistical challenges for applicants and promote a fairer recruitment process.
Air Commodore Ejodame noted that the aptitude test remains a critical stage in the selection process, designed to assess candidates’ intellectual capacity, problem-solving abilities, and overall suitability for military training. He emphasised that the recruitment exercise is guided by the principles of fairness, transparency, and merit.
“The Nigerian Air Force remains firmly committed to recruiting the best candidates based on merit, as the quality of our personnel is fundamental to operational effectiveness and the successful execution of our constitutional mandate,” he stated.
The Selection Board Interview represents one of the final stages in the recruitment process and typically involves a comprehensive evaluation of candidates. This includes physical screening, medical examinations, verification of credentials, and oral interviews aimed at assessing character, discipline, and readiness for military service.
Successful candidates at this stage will proceed to the Basic Military Training Course, where they will undergo intensive training designed to prepare them for service in the Air Force. The training programme is expected to cover a wide range of areas, including physical fitness, military drills, technical instruction, and leadership development.
The Air Force has urged all shortlisted candidates to prepare adequately for the exercise and ensure they present all required documents, including original credentials, identification materials, and any other items specified in the official guidelines.
As the recruitment process progresses, the Nigerian Air Force continues to emphasise its commitment to building a professional and capable force, equipped to address the country’s evolving security challenges. The ongoing exercise, officials say, is part of broader efforts to strengthen national defence capacity through the enlistment of qualified and dedicated personnel.
With the Selection Board Interview set to commence later this month, attention now turns to the candidates who have advanced to this stage, as they undergo rigorous screening in pursuit of a career in one of Nigeria’s key security institutions.
