President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from 8 to 12 divisions, along with the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel.
The new structure will create four additional divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, with implementation scheduled to be completed in two phases before the end of 2026.
A statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the approval reflects Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening the Armed Forces and improving their ability to respond to security threats across the country.
The statement said the expansion follows the administration’s investments in military equipment, troop welfare, operational readiness and force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army’s 12 divisions will be headquartered in Kaduna (covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states), Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states), Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states), Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states), Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states), and Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe states).
Others are Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states), Ilorin (Kwara and Niger states), Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa states), Lagos (Lagos and Ogun states), Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states), and Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states).
According to the presidency, the four new divisions will improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, protect critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and enable faster military responses to emerging threats.
Implementation will be carried out in two phases.
The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and 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, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
President Tinubu also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for what the Presidency described as their dedication and professionalism.
“The President reaffirmed his Administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians,” the statement said.
(The Whistler)