President Bola Tinubu has approved a major expansion of the Nigerian Army, increasing its operational structure from eight to twelve divisions and authorising the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to strengthen national security.
The approval, announced on Thursday in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is aimed at improving the Army’s operational effectiveness, enhancing command and control, and addressing the country’s evolving security challenges.
Under the new arrangement, four new divisions will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City, bringing the total number of Army divisions to 12.
According to the statement, the new structure is expected to decentralise operational decision-making, improve border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, strengthen counter-insurgency operations, and enable faster military responses to security threats across the country.
The divisions will be distributed as follows: 1 Division (Kaduna), 2 Division (Ibadan), 3 Division (Jos), 5 Division (Makurdi), 6 Division (Port Harcourt), 7 Division (Maiduguri), 8 Division (Sokoto), 9 Division (Ilorin), 10 Division (Jalingo), 81 Division (Lagos), 82 Division (Enugu), and 83 Division (Benin City), with each covering designated states.
Implementation will take place in two phases. The first phase, which includes the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions alongside the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026. The second phase, involving the creation 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 professionalism and commitment to safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investing in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, motivated, and capable of protecting lives, property, and Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
