President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in a major restructuring aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture and enhancing military operations nationwide.
The Presidency said the move is part of the administration’s broader efforts to improve the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces in response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the expansion builds on the Tinubu administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including the acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare, force modernisation and enhanced operational readiness.
‘The approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further’, the statement said.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically spread across the country.
The existing formations include the 1 Division in Kaduna, covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; the 2 Division in Ibadan, responsible for Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo; the 3 Division in Jos, covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe; the 6 Division in Port Harcourt, covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River; the 7 Division in Maiduguri, responsible for Borno and Yobe; the 8 Division in Sokoto, covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara; the 81 Division in Lagos, covering Lagos and Ogun; and the 82 Division in Enugu, responsible for Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states.
Four new divisions will be created under the restructuring.
They are the 5 Division in Makurdi, which will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states; the 9 Division in Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger; the 10 Division in Jalingo, responsible for Taraba and Adamawa; and the 83 Division in Benin City, which will oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The Presidency said the creation of the new divisions would significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure and improve counter-insurgency as well as other internal security operations.
It added that the restructuring would also enable faster military responses to emerging security threats across the country.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases.
According to the Presidency, the first phase, which includes the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 divisions alongside 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 organisational restructuring, is scheduled for completion 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 what he described as their dedication, professionalism and steadfast commitment to defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated and fully capable of protecting Nigeria and guaranteeing the safety and security of its citizens.
The latest expansion represents one of the most significant reorganisations of the Nigerian Army in recent years and comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats across different parts of the country.