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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in a major move aimed at strengthening Nigeria's security architecture and improving the military's operational capacity.
The approval, announced in a State House statement issued by the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is part of the Federal Government's efforts to enhance national defence and address the country's evolving security challenges.
According to the statement, the expansion reflects the administration's continued investment in the Armed Forces through increased manpower, acquisition of modern military equipment, improved troop welfare and sustained support for operational readiness and force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically distributed across the country to improve command efficiency and operational coverage.
The existing formations include the 1 Division in Kaduna, 2 Division in Ibadan, 3 Division in Jos, 6 Division in Port Harcourt, 7 Division in Maiduguri, 8 Division in Sokoto, 81 Division in Lagos and 82 Division in Enugu.
The new divisions to be established are the 5 Division in Makurdi, 9 Division in Ilorin, 10 Division in Jalingo and 83 Division in Benin City.
The Federal Government said the additional divisions would enhance command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security and improve the protection of critical national infrastructure.
The new structure is also expected to boost counter-insurgency operations, support internal security efforts and ensure faster military response to emerging security threats across the country.
Implementation of the restructuring 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 expected to be completed by September 2026.
The second phase, which includes the establishment of the 83 Division in Benin City and further reorganisation of army formations, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their professionalism and commitment to safeguarding Nigeria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces, assuring that the military would continue to receive the personnel, equipment and welfare support required to effectively protect the nation and ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
