President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in a landmark move to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and enhance the military’s operational effectiveness.
The approval, announced in a State House statement on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is part of the Federal Government’s renewed drive to bolster the Armed Forces in response to the country’s evolving security challenges.
According to the Presidency, the expansion builds on the Tinubu administration’s sustained investments in the military, including the acquisition of critical combat platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare, enhanced operational readiness and ongoing force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically deployed across the country to improve operational coverage and response.
The divisions are headquartered in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Ilorin, Jalingo, Lagos, Enugu and Benin City.
The 1 Division in Kaduna will cover Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; the 2 Division in Ibadan will oversee Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo; while the 3 Division in Jos will cover Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe.
The newly created 5 Division in Makurdi will be responsible for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states; the 6 Division in Port Harcourt will oversee Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River; while the 7 Division in Maiduguri will continue to cover Borno and Yobe states.
The 8 Division in Sokoto will oversee Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states; the new 9 Division in Ilorin will cover Kwara and Niger; and the 10 Division in Jalingo will be responsible for Taraba and Adamawa states.
The existing 81 Division in Lagos will continue to oversee Lagos and Ogun states, while the 82 Division in Enugu will cover Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo. The newly established 83 Division in Benin City will have operational responsibility for Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The Presidency said the creation of the new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City would significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure and boost counter-insurgency as well as other internal security operations.
It added that the restructuring would also ensure faster deployment of troops and quicker military response to emerging security threats across the country.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, involving the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026, while the second phase, covering the establishment of the 83 Division and further restructuring, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their professionalism, dedication and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, highly motivated and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.
