The Nigerian Army has been notified of misleading and baseless claims currently circulating the social media, insinuating that the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede has introduced an automatic promotion initiative for personnel who have served in their current ranks for five years or more.
A statement by the spokesman of the Army, Maj-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu said “This deliberate misinformation is not only untrue but also calculated to mislead personnel as well as members of the public.
Suffice to state that promotion in the Nigerian Army is a structured, merit-based exercise governed by clearly defined statutory regulations and provisions. It is neither arbitrary nor subject to social media speculations. The conditions for elevation in rank are meticulously outlined in the Nigerian Army Administrative Policies and Procedures (Revised 2023) and the Armed Forces of Nigeria Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service for Soldiers, Ratings and Airmen (2024). Among others, key requirements for promotion by the Armed Forces include but not limited to serving the stipulated minimum period on a substantive rank, successful completion of requisite professional courses, maintaining satisfactory disciplinary and performance record and meeting medical and physical fitness standards.
It must be emphasized that the Nigerian Army, like other Services of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, adheres to unified standards of promotion criteria. The Nigerian Army will, therefore, not deviate from these established protocols, which ensure fairness, professionalism, and operational effectiveness across the services.
The public is thus urged to disregard the deceptive publication, as it by no means holds any credibility. The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, remains resolute in his commitment to the welfare, career progression, and professional development of Nigerian Army personnel, as encapsulated in his “Soldier First” mantra, but will not act in a manner that will insidiously undermine due process and international best practice”.
