President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel as part of efforts to strengthen national security.
The development was announced on Thursday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who described the decision as a major step towards improving Nigeria’s security framework and boosting the army’s operational capacity.
According to Onanuga, the approval reflects the administration’s resolve to position the armed forces to better address evolving security threats across the country.
He explained that the initiative builds on previous investments by the Tinubu administration, including the acquisition of military hardware, improved welfare packages for troops, enhanced operational readiness, and the ongoing modernisation of the armed forces.
Under the approved structure, the Nigerian Army will now operate 12 divisions spread across the country. These include 1 Division Headquarters in Kaduna covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa; 2 Division Headquarters in Ibadan covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo; 3 Division Headquarters in Jos overseeing Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe; and the newly created 5 Division Headquarters in Makurdi covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi.
Other divisions include 6 Division Headquarters in Port Harcourt for Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River; 7 Division Headquarters in Maiduguri for Borno and Yobe; 8 Division Headquarters in Sokoto covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara; 9 Division Headquarters in Ilorin for Kwara and Niger; 10 Division Headquarters in Jalingo covering Taraba and Adamawa; 81 Division Headquarters in Lagos for Lagos and Ogun; 82 Division Headquarters in Enugu covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo; and the newly approved 83 Division Headquarters in Benin City for Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
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Explaining the benefits of the restructuring, the statement said: “The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.
“Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.
“The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026.
“The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
“President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Onanuga added that the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the military, stressing that the armed forces would continue to receive the equipment, support and motivation needed to safeguard the nation and protect its citizens.