President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture and enhance the military’s operational effectiveness in tackling evolving security challenges across the country.
The approval, announced in a State House statement on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also includes the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to boost the Army’s manpower.
According to the statement, the expansion is part of the Tinubu administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, which include the acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare, enhanced operational readiness, and ongoing force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country. The divisions include: 1 Division Headquarters, Kaduna, covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; 2 Division Headquarters, Ibadan, covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states; 3 Division Headquarters, Jos, covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states; 5 Division Headquarters, Makurdi, covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states; 6 Division Headquarters, Port Harcourt, covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states; 7 Division Headquarters, Maiduguri, covering Borno and Yobe states; 8 Division Headquarters, Sokoto, covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states; 9 Division Headquarters, Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states; 10 Division Headquarters, Jalingo, covering Taraba and Adamawa states; 81 Division Headquarters, Lagos, covering Lagos and Ogun states; 82 Division Headquarters, Enugu, covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states; and 83 Division Headquarters, Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The Presidency said the establishment of the new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City would 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.
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 as well as the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026. The second phase, which includes the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, along with officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, for their professionalism, dedication 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 fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.