President Tinubu has approved the expansion of Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions and ordered recruitment of 20,000 soldiers.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and authorised the recruitment of 20,000 additional personnel to strengthen the country’s security architecture.
The approval was announced in a statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the expansion is aimed at enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army, improving command and control, and bolstering Nigeria’s capacity to tackle evolving security challenges.
The Presidency said the move underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national defence and ensuring the Armed Forces are adequately equipped to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country:
1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna: Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States
2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan: Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States
3 Division Headquarters – Jos: Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States
5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi: Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States
6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt: Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States
7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri: Borno and Yobe States
8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto: Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States
9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin: Kwara and Niger States
10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo: Taraba and Adamawa States
81 Division Headquarters – Lagos: Lagos and Ogun States
82 Division Headquarters – Enugu: Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States
83 Division Headquarters – Benin City: Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States
The Presidency noted that the establishment of the new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will improve military command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, and boost counter-insurgency and internal security operations nationwide.
Implementation of the new force structure 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, while the second phase, involving the creation of the 83 Division, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.
President Tinubu also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, alongside officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, for their professionalism and dedication to defending Nigeria.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, motivated and capable of protecting the lives and property of Nigerians.
