President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major expansion of the Nigerian Army, increasing its operational structure from eight to twelve divisions as part of a sweeping effort to strengthen the country’s security architecture and enhance the military’s capacity to respond to emerging threats.
The approval, announced in a State House statement issued 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 and improve operational effectiveness across the country.
According to the Presidency, the expansion forms part of the Tinubu administration’s broader investment in the Armed Forces, which includes the acquisition of modern military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare, enhanced operational readiness and sustained force modernisation.
Under the new arrangement, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the federation. Existing formations in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Lagos and Enugu will be retained, while four new divisions will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City.
The new structure places the 5 Division Headquarters in Makurdi to oversee military operations in Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States; the 9 Division Headquarters in Ilorin for Kwara and Niger States; the 10 Division Headquarters in Jalingo for Taraba and Adamawa States; and the 83 Division Headquarters in Benin City to cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States.
The Presidency said the restructuring is expected to 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 security threats nationwide.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions as well as the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026. The second phase, which includes the establishment of the 83 Division and additional organisational adjustments, is expected to be concluded by December 2026.
President Tinubu also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, alongside officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces, stressing that the military would continue to receive the resources, equipment and welfare support required to safeguard the nation and protect the lives and property of Nigerians.
Security analysts say the expansion represents one of the most significant structural reforms of the Nigerian Army in recent years and is expected to strengthen military presence across the country’s six geopolitical zones amid persistent security challenges.
