ABUJA, Nigeria – 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 as part of efforts to strengthen national security and improve military operations across the country.
According to a statement by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Okay News reports that the restructuring is aimed at improving command and control, decentralising military operations, enhancing border security, protecting critical infrastructure, and boosting counter-insurgency and internal security efforts. The approval also forms part of the administration’s broader investment in military equipment, troop welfare, operational readiness, and force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Army will establish new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City, while existing divisions will continue operating from Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Lagos, and Enugu. The new formations are expected to improve the military’s response time to emerging security threats across the federation.
The implementation will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5 Division, 9 Division, and 10 Division, alongside the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026, while the second phase, including the creation of the 83 Division, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
President Tinubu commended Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu and personnel of the Nigerian Army for their service, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to providing the Armed Forces with the resources, equipment, and support required to safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty and protect the lives and property of citizens.
