Tinubu Approves Expansion of Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions, Orders Recruitment of 28,000 Personnel

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and authorised the recruitment of an additional 28,000 personnel in a major move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and improving the military’s operational capacity.

The approval, announced in a State House statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is part of the administration’s broader efforts to enhance national defence and tackle the country’s evolving security challenges.

According to the statement, the expansion reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to equipping the Armed Forces with the manpower, structure and resources required to respond more effectively to security threats across the country.

The initiative also builds on ongoing investments in the military, including the acquisition of critical platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, enhanced operational readiness and continued force modernisation.

Under the new arrangement, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country. The existing divisions are headquartered in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Lagos and Enugu, while four new divisions will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City.

The new command structure will see the 1 Division in Kaduna oversee Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; the 2 Division in Ibadan will cover Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo; while the 3 Division in Jos will be responsible for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.

The newly created 5 Division in Makurdi will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while the 6 Division in Port Harcourt will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River. The 7 Division in Maiduguri will retain responsibility for Borno and Yobe, and the 8 Division in Sokoto will oversee Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

The new 9 Division in Ilorin will cover Kwara and Niger states, while the 10 Division in Jalingo will supervise Taraba and Adamawa. The 81 Division in Lagos will retain responsibility for Lagos and Ogun states, the 82 Division in Enugu will oversee Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states, while the newly established 83 Division in Benin City will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.

The Presidency said the creation of the four new divisions is expected to improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, boost counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats.

Implementation of the new force 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.

The second phase, which includes 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 what he described as 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 adequately equipped, motivated and capable of safeguarding the nation’s security and protecting all Nigerians.