President Bola Tinubu has approved a major expansion of the Nigerian Army, increasing its operational structure from eight to 12 divisions and authorising the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in a move aimed at strengthening national security and enhancing the military’s response to emerging threats across the country.
The approval forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to modernise the Armed Forces through increased manpower, improved operational readiness, enhanced troop welfare and the acquisition of critical military equipment to address the nation’s evolving security challenges.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the development in a statement on Thursday, saying the expansion reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to building a stronger and better-equipped military capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Under the new force structure, four additional divisions will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, bringing the total number of Army divisions nationwide to 12.
The new formations are expected to improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, protect critical national infrastructure and boost counter-insurgency and other internal security operations.
According to the statement, the implementation will be carried out in two phases.
The first phase, involving the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions alongside the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026, while the second phase, which includes the creation of the 83 Division and further restructuring, is expected to be concluded by December 2026.
The President also praised 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.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to sustain investments in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, highly motivated and fully prepared to protect lives, secure the nation’s territorial integrity and respond effectively to security challenges across Nigeria.
“Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:
1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)
2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)
3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)
4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)
5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)
6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)
7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)
8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)
9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)
10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)
11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)
12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States),” the statement said.
