President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions in a major overhaul aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and boosting the military’s operational capacity.
The approval, announced in a statement on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga and made available to The News Chronicle, is part of the administration’s broader efforts to tackle the country’s evolving security challenges and reinforce national defence.
According to the Presidency, the restructuring builds on the government’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military hardware, improved troop welfare, and continued support for force modernisation and operational readiness.
Under the new structure, the Army will operate 12 divisions strategically spread across the country. Four new divisions will be established in Makurdi (5 Division), Ilorin (9 Division), Jalingo (10 Division), and Benin City (83 Division), joining the existing formations in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Lagos and Enugu.
The Presidency said the expansion is expected to improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, bolster counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and enable faster military responses to emerging threats nationwide.
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 scheduled for completion by September 2026, while the second phase, which includes the establishment of the 83 Division, is expected to be concluded by December 2026.
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 what he described as their dedication, professionalism and unwavering 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 well-equipped, highly motivated and fully capable of safeguarding the nation and protecting all Nigerians.
