President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of an additional 28,000 personnel in a major move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and enhancing the military’s operational effectiveness.
The approval, announced on Thursday in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the Armed Forces’ capacity to respond to the country’s evolving security challenges.
According to the statement, the expansion builds on the Tinubu administration’s sustained investments in the military, including the acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare, and continued support for operational readiness and force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country. Existing divisions include 1 Division, Kaduna; 2 Division, Ibadan; 3 Division, Jos; 6 Division, Port Harcourt; 7 Division, Maiduguri; 8 Division, Sokoto; 81 Division, Lagos; and 82 Division, Enugu.
The four new divisions will be established in Makurdi (5 Division), Ilorin (9 Division), Jalingo (10 Division), and Benin City (83 Division).
The statement said the new divisions would 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.
Under the new deployment arrangement, the Port Harcourt-based 6 Division will retain responsibility for Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, while the new 83 Division in Benin City will oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026. The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further restructuring, is expected to be completed 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 their dedication, professionalism and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, highly motivated and capable of safeguarding the nation’s security and protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.
