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

New military structure will establish additional divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City to boost national security, improve rapid response, and strengthen command operations across Nigeria says Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions as part of a major overhaul aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces.

The approval, announced in a State House press release signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also includes the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to reinforce the Army’s capacity to tackle the country’s evolving security challenges.

According to the statement, the expansion forms part of the Tinubu administration’s sustained investment in the Armed Forces, which includes the acquisition of critical military equipment, improved welfare for troops, and continued support for operational readiness and force modernisation.

Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions strategically positioned across the country:

1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna: Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States.
2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan: Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States.
3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos: Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States.
4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi: Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States.
5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt: Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri: Borno and Yobe States.
7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto: Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States.
8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin: Kwara and Niger States.
9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo: Taraba and Adamawa States.
10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos: Lagos and Ogun States.
11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu: Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States.
12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City: Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States.

The Presidency said the expansion 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 responses to emerging security threats across the country.

Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, which includes the establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions alongside the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026. The second phase, covering 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 their professionalism, dedication, and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The President also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and capable of safeguarding the lives, property, and security of all Nigerians.

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