President Bola 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 the military’s operational capacity.
The approval, announced in a State House statement on Thursday, is aimed at enhancing the country’s security architecture, improving command and control, and enabling the Army to respond more effectively to emerging security threats.
According to the Presidency, the decision reflects the administration’s continued investment in the Armed Forces through increased manpower, acquisition of military equipment, improved troop welfare, and the modernization of military operations.
Under the new structure, the Army will operate 12 divisions nationwide. Existing divisions will remain 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 divisions will cover Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi states from Makurdi; Kwara and Niger states from Ilorin; Taraba and Adamawa states from Jalingo; and Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa states from Benin City.
The Presidency said the additional divisions would 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 quicker military response to threats across the country.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, which includes establishing the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and reorganizing existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026.
The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganization, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
President Tinubu also praised the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their service to the nation.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the Armed Forces through sustained investment to ensure they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated and capable of protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and guaranteeing the safety of its citizens.
The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
