Uneasy Calm As Military Officers Lament Stalled Promotion Over Conditions Of Service Clause

There is reportedly growing tension within the military as hundreds of officers express frustration over prolonged promotion delays linked to a controversial provision in the revised Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (HTACOS).

On 16th December, 2024, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed HTACOS 2024 for officers.

At the centre of the discontent is a newly introduced clause requiring all officers, including Direct Short Service officers, to complete the Senior Staff Course before they can be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or its equivalent across the services.

However, the director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said attendance at the Staff College had always been a criterion and not a new requirement introduced by the document.

While the policy is intended to strengthen professional development and leadership capacity, many affected personnel argue that its implementation had exposed serious structural gaps, particularly the inadequate number of training slots at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, where the course is conducted.

According to sources, the institution’s limited capacity has created a bottleneck, leaving qualified officers waiting for up to 2 years to secure placement on the mandatory course, despite already meeting other statutory requirements for promotion.

The Nigerian Air Force is said to be the most affected, with over 400 officers reportedly awaiting nomination for the course.

At the same time, fewer than 100 slots are available annually for the one-year programme.

This means several officers, particularly those on the rank of Squadron Leader, may remain stagnated for an additional three years after already completing the mandatory five years required on the rank before becoming eligible for elevation.

Many officers view the situation as deeply discouraging, noting that promotion in the military is not merely ceremonial but central to career progression, command opportunities, remuneration, and morale.

One senior officer, who spoke anonymously, described the clause as “well-intentioned but poorly structured,” adding that no promotion policy should be tied to a training pipeline that lacks the capacity to accommodate those expected to pass through it.

Observers say the resulting frustration is contributing to the growing wave of resignations and voluntary retirements in this rank bracket, as talented and experienced officers seek opportunities outside military service.

Analysts warn that if left unresolved, the issue could weaken retention, disrupt succession planning, and affect long-term operational effectiveness, especially at a time when the armed forces remain heavily engaged in multiple security operations nationwide.

There are growing calls for military authorities to urgently review the contentious provision, expand course capacity, or introduce transitional measures that prevent capable officers from being unfairly trapped in career stagnation due to institutional limitations.

For many affected officers, the issue is no longer just about promotion—it is about fairness, motivation, and confidence in a system meant to reward merit and service.

However, the Director Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, said attendance at the Staff College was not a new criterion, adding that the Armed Forces, despite its strict discipline, is not rigid but pragmatic in matters of personnel career progression. “I want to tell you that attendance at Staff College for combatant officers, for the junior Staff College and senior Staff College has always been a requirement. It is not a new provision of the terms and conditions of service. It is not newly introduced.

General Uba explained that every combatant officer, including those in other commissions, must write and pass the junior Staff College exams to go for the junior course, and must pass the senior Staff College exams to go for the senior course.

He reiterated that Staff College attendance is not an introduction to the HTACOS, adding that the military does career planning for its officers.

“And even the number admitted to the Staff College is not static. Based on the army’s needs, the number of slots is increased to ensure that officers who are due to attend. And it is about seniority because you talk about, once you are, the senior people in the list go. It is automatic. Once it is your time, you go. “So it is not that the Terms and Conditions of Service came and brought a new requirement for college entry. It is not. So that I can assure you it is not. But it has always been a criterion, and the army is always doing career planning for officers. Officers will go based on seniority. When you are due, please make sure to attend.

“When the seniors go, the next set goes. And the army is always expanding, even to give more slots to carry more, taking cognisance of their career and the number that you need to promote. And you know every year is different.

There are different courses. Sometimes, special short-service combatant courses may be due. So to accommodate them with the regular counterparts, you may now expand.

And then you have more officers go into certain things. So it is something that the army takes very seriously, the career planning for its officers. So I want to assure you that there is nothing like that; the new TACOS has made staff college attendance mandatory. It has always been a mandatory requirement to be promoted to the next rank.”