President Bola Tinubu has given approval for the Nigerian Army to increase from eight to twelve divisions while also recruiting an additional 28,000 personnel as part of efforts to bolster the nation’s security framework.
According to the Presidency, this strategic decision seeks to enhance the operational efficiency of the Army and strengthen its ability to tackle the country’s dynamic security issues more effectively.
Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made this known in a statement released on Thursday.
Onanuga noted that the approval “underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.”
This development forms part of the current administration’s continued focus on military enhancement, which covers fresh recruitment drives, procurement of essential military hardware and platforms, better welfare packages for troops, and sustained support for modernisation initiatives.
“The expansion builds on the administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation,” the statement read.
With the new arrangement, the Nigerian Army will now function with twelve divisions positioned strategically in various parts of the country.
The Presidency explained that setting up the additional divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City will lead to better military coordination and quicker response capabilities.
“The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly 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,” Onanuga stated.
The restructuring process will occur in two distinct phases.
The first phase, which includes the creation of the 5th, 9th, and 10th Divisions together with the reorganisation of current formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026.
The second phase, covering the establishment of the 83rd Division and additional reorganisation efforts, is expected to wrap up by December 2026.
President Tinubu also expressed appreciation to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, along with all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their steadfast dedication and service in defending the country.
The President reiterated his administration’s dedication to keep investing in the Armed Forces so they remain “adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.”
The divisions and their areas of responsibility are:
1 Division Headquarters in Kaduna, covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states;
2 Division Headquarters in Ibadan, covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states;
3 Division Headquarters in Jos, covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states;
5 Division Headquarters in Makurdi, covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states;
6 Division Headquarters in Port Harcourt, covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states;
7 Division Headquarters in Maiduguri, covering Borno and Yobe states;
8 Division Headquarters in Sokoto, covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states;
9 Division Headquarters in Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger states;
10 Division Headquarters in Jalingo, covering Taraba and Adamawa states;
81 Division Headquarters in Lagos, covering Lagos and Ogun states;
82 Division Headquarters in Enugu, covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states; and
83 Division Headquarters in Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
