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 Nigeria’s security architecture.
The Presidency on Thursday said the move is aimed at boosting the Army’s operational effectiveness and enhancing its capacity to tackle the country’s evolving security challenges.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the approval reflects Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national defence through sustained investment in the Armed Forces.
According to him, the expansion builds on ongoing efforts to modernise the military through the acquisition of critical platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare, enhanced operational readiness and increased manpower.
Under the new structure, four additional divisions will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, bringing the total number of Army divisions to 12.
The Presidency said the new formations would improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, protect critical national infrastructure, enhance counter-insurgency operations and enable faster military responses to emerging threats across the country.
The restructuring will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026. The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further restructuring, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
President Tinubu also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, as well as officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication and service.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring the Armed Forces remain adequately equipped, highly motivated and fully capable of defending Nigeria’s territorial integrity and safeguarding the lives and property of citizens.
Under the approved structure, the new divisions will have the following areas of responsibility:
5 Division (Makurdi): Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states.
9 Division (Ilorin): Kwara and Niger states.
10 Division (Jalingo): Taraba and Adamawa states.
83 Division (Benin City): Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The existing divisions in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Lagos and Enugu will retain their current operational responsibilities.
