Tinubu Approves Expansion Of Nigerian Army To 12 Divisions, To Recruit 28,000 Personnel
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 Nigeria's security architecture and improve the military's operational effectiveness.
The approval, announced on Thursday in a statement by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces' capacity to tackle the country's evolving security challenges and reinforce national defence.
According to the statement, the expansion forms part of the Tinubu administration's sustained investment in the military, which also includes the acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare, enhanced operational readiness and continued force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country. The new divisions will be headquartered in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, while the existing formations in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Lagos and Enugu will remain.
The Presidency said the newly created divisions would strengthen command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, improve border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, bolster counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.
The statement further disclosed that the implementation of the new force structure would be carried out in two phases.
It said the first phase, which covers the establishment of the 5 Division in Makurdi, the 9 Division in Ilorin and the 10 Division in Jalingo, alongside the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026.
The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division in Benin City and additional reorganisation of formations, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
Under the approved structure, the 1 Division will be headquartered in Kaduna, covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; the 2 Division in Ibadan will oversee Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states; while the 3 Division in Jos will cover Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The 5 Division in Makurdi will oversee Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while the 6 Division in Port Harcourt will cover Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states. The 7 Division in Maiduguri will oversee Borno and Yobe states, while the 8 Division in Sokoto will cover Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
The 9 Division in Ilorin will oversee Kwara and Niger states, the 10 Division in Jalingo will cover Taraba and Adamawa states, while the 81 Division in Lagos will retain responsibility for Lagos and Ogun states. The 82 Division in Enugu will cover Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states, while the 83 Division in Benin City will oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
President Tinubu also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, as well as officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism and commitment to defending Nigeria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He 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 nation's security and protecting the lives of Nigerians.