President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and improve the military’s operational effectiveness.
The approval was announced in a State House statement on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the expansion is aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces’ capacity to address evolving security challenges, improve command and control, strengthen border security, protect critical national infrastructure, and boost counter-insurgency and internal security operations.
The administration said the initiative builds on ongoing investments in the military, including the acquisition of critical equipment, improved troop welfare, force modernisation, and enhanced operational readiness.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions located in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Ilorin, Jalingo, Lagos, Enugu and Benin City, with each headquarters overseeing military operations within designated states.
The newly created divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City are expected to decentralise operational decision-making and enable faster military responses to emerging security threats across the country.
The implementation will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, which includes the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026, while the second phase, covering the establishment of the 83 Division and additional restructuring, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, as well as officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication and professionalism in defending the country’s sovereignty.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to continued investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, motivated and capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s security.
