NDA Admission List for 78 Regular Course 2026: Reporting Date, Requirements and Full Details

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NDA Admission List for 78 Regular Course 2026

If you sat through the rigorous selection process for the 78 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy, popularly known as NDA, and you have been waiting to hear the final word, that word has arrived. The Armed Forces Selection Board, commonly called AFSB, held its interviews from 4th July to 19th August 2026, and the list of successful candidates has now been released. I want to walk you through exactly what this means, what you must do next, and what you need to bring with you, because the margin for error at this stage is genuinely small, and I would rather you hear it clearly from me than find out the hard way.

Important Actions on the JAMB Portal Before You Report

Before you travel to the Academy, there are a few administrative steps you must complete on the JAMB portal, and I strongly encourage you to handle these before your reporting date rather than leaving them until the last moment.

First, all selected candidates must upload their O'Level result on the JAMB portal. Second, if you were not offered admission into your preferred academic department, you are required to log into the JAMB portal to effect the necessary change so that your record reflects the correct department. Third, every selected candidate must formally accept their admission through the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System, known as CAPS, before reporting to the Academy. Do not skip this step, as it is a required part of finalising your admission alongside your physical reporting.

What Happens When You Arrive

Only candidates who have been selected are permitted to report, and you will be received on arrival at the Drill Shed, NDA Old Site, Ribadu Cantonment. It is worth understanding clearly what your status will be from this point onward. Upon admission into the NDA, cadets are full-time students undergoing training, not employees of the institution or the Federal Government of Nigeria. This means that if a cadet is dismissed or withdraws from the Academy before being commissioned as an officer, they cannot claim any right or entitlement as though they had been an employee.

Documents You Must Bring

The Academy has been explicit that only original documents will be accepted, and photocopies will not suffice. You are required to bring the original copies of your First School Leaving Certificate, your Primary School Testimonial, your School Certificate Results from NECO or WAEC, your Senior Secondary School Testimonial, your Birth Certificate or Declaration of Age, and your Letter of State of Origin. You must also bring the original copy of a duly endorsed Parent or Guardian Consent Form. Any candidate who cannot present the original versions of these documents will not be accepted into the Academy, so please confirm you have every one of these in hand before you travel.

Items to Bring Along

Beyond your documents, successful candidates are required to arrive with a specific list of personal items. These include two pairs of black and white trousers, one dark-coloured lounge suit, a pair of national dress, two belts, preferably black, one pair of black cover shoes, two pairs of white canvas shoes slightly oversized, two pairs of white shorts, pyjamas, two pairs of brown canvas shoes slightly oversized, one pair of football boots, a hockey stick, three pairs of black shorts, preferably ready-made sport shorts, three pairs of white round-neck vests, two long-sleeved white shirts, four pairs of white socks, one black rubber-strapped digital quartz wristwatch, black polish, brushes and a shaving kit, two white bed sheets with pillow cases, a black swimming trunk or shirt, and a pressing iron. I recommend going through this list item by item a few days before you travel, rather than trying to gather everything the night before.

Rules Every Candidate and Parent Should Note

Selected candidates are not permitted to receive visitors and will not be allowed to leave the Academy for the first three months of training. This is a significant adjustment, both for you and for your family, so it helps to prepare emotionally for this period of separation in advance, and to say your goodbyes properly before you report, since communication during this stretch will be limited.

About NDA's Academic Structure, for Context

For those who are newly familiar with the Academy or are helping a younger sibling or relative prepare for a future intake, it helps to understand what studying at NDA actually involves. Cadets combine military training with academic study leading to an honours degree, over five years for Nigerian Army cadets and four years for Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force cadets, and graduates receive a Presidential Commission into the Armed Forces of Nigeria upon successful completion.

The Academy runs five undergraduate faculties. The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences covers Defence and Security Studies, Geography, History and War Studies, Languages, Political Science and Psychology. The Faculty of Science covers Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Mathematical Sciences and Physics. The Faculty of Engineering and Technology covers Civil, Electrical and Electronics, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering. The Faculty of Management Sciences covers Accounting, Economics, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, and Management Studies. The Faculty of Military Science and Interdisciplinary Studies covers Computer Science, Cyber Security, Military Science, and Intelligence and Security Science.

For prospective applicants planning ahead, the general UTME cut-off mark for entry into NDA has stood at 180 for Arts and Social Sciences and Science courses, and 210 for Engineering courses, in addition to passing the Academy's own Screening Test and the AFSB interview process that every candidate on this list has already been through. Meeting the UTME benchmark only earns a candidate the opportunity to sit the Screening Test, and the AFSB interview that follows is where character, fitness and suitability for military life are assessed alongside academic ability.

Where to Check the 78 Regular Course Admission List

The names of successful candidates have been published on the official NDA website at www.nda.edu.ng, and the full list has also been made available as an attached PDF document. If your name appears on this list, you have been offered admission into the Academy for the 78 Regular Course, and you are expected to report to the NDA Ribadu Campus, also known as the Old Site, in Kaduna, on Saturday, 12th September 2026.

Please read that date carefully and treat it with the seriousness it deserves. Any candidate who fails to report by Monday, 14th September 2026 will forfeit their place entirely. Candidates who are on the reserve list may still be called up as vacancies arise, and this will happen through your registered email address and phone number, so keep both of these accessible and check them regularly over the coming days.

Final Thoughts

Making the 78 Regular Course admission list represents the outcome of a genuinely demanding selection process, and if your name is on it, that achievement deserves real recognition. Confirm your name on the official NDA website, complete every required step on the JAMB portal before you travel, gather your original documents and full kit list without leaving anything to the last minute, and arrive at the Drill Shed on the Old Site by the twelfth of September. For any outstanding questions, reach out directly to the Academy Registrar's official email address. Congratulations to every candidate who made it through, and safe travels to Kaduna.