Tinubu Expands Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to strengthen Nigeria’s security operations.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement on Thursday, saying the approval reflects Tinubu’s commitment to strengthening national defence.

The Presidency said the move is targeted at improving the Army’s effectiveness and boosting its ability to respond to the country’s growing security challenges.

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The expansion is part of the government’s wider investment in the Armed Forces, including the purchase of military equipment, improved welfare for troops and modernisation of military operations.

“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.

Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions across different parts of the country.

The Presidency said new divisions will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City to improve military coordination, strengthen border security and ensure faster response to threats.

“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 said.

Nigerian Army Headquarters, Abuja. Credit: National Accord Newspaper.

The restructuring will be carried out in two phases.

The first phase, involving the creation 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, will be completed by December 2026.

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Tinubu also praised the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and Nigerian Army personnel for their efforts in protecting the country.

He went further to reaffirm his commitment to ensuring that the Armed Forces remain “adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.”

The new Nigerian Army divisions and their areas of responsibility are:

1 Division Headquarters, Kaduna – Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa
2 Division Headquarters, Ibadan – Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo
3 Division Headquarters, Jos – Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe
5 Division Headquarters, Makurdi – Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi
6 Division Headquarters, Port Harcourt – Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River
7 Division Headquarters, Maiduguri – Borno and Yobe
8 Division Headquarters, Sokoto – Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara
9 Division Headquarters, Ilorin – Kwara and Niger
10 Division Headquarters, Jalingo – Taraba and Adamawa
81 Division Headquarters, Lagos – Lagos and Ogun
82 Division Headquarters, Enugu – Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo
83 Division Headquarters, Benin City – Edo, Delta and Bayelsa.

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