By George Ozalla
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 move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and enhancing the operational capacity of the Armed Forces.
The approval, announced on Thursday, forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to bolster national defence, improve military response to emerging security threats and reinforce the country’s counter insurgency and internal security operations.
According to a press statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the expansion reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to equipping the Armed Forces with the manpower, structure and resources required to address the nation’s evolving security challenges.
The statement said the new force structure builds on the administration’s continued investments in the military, including the recruitment of 28,000 personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improved welfare for troops and sustained support for operational readiness and force modernisation.
Under the approved arrangement, the Nigerian Army will now operate 12 divisions strategically distributed across the country. The divisions include the 1 Division Headquarters in Kaduna, covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; the 2 Division Headquarters in Ibadan with responsibility for Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states; the 3 Division Headquarters in Jos covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states; the new 5 Division Headquarters in Makurdi responsible for Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states; the 6 Division Headquarters in Port Harcourt covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states; the 7 Division Headquarters in Maiduguri with responsibility for Borno and Yobe states; and the 8 Division Headquarters in Sokoto covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
Others are the new 9 Division Headquarters in Ilorin, responsible for Kwara and Niger states; the new 10 Division Headquarters in Jalingo covering Taraba and Adamawa states; the 81 Division Headquarters in Lagos with responsibility for Lagos and Ogun states; the 82 Division Headquarters in Enugu covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states; and the new 83 Division Headquarters in Benin City, which will oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The Presidency said the creation of the new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City is expected to improve command and control across military formations, decentralise operational decision making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure and ensure faster response to security threats across the country.
It added that the restructuring would also improve the effectiveness of counter insurgency operations and other internal security missions by bringing military command closer to operational theatres.
The implementation of the new structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, involving the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026, while the second phase, covering 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, 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 reassured his administration’s resolve to continue investing in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated and fully prepared to safeguard the nation and guarantee the security of all Nigerians.
