Tinubu Expands Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions, Approves Recruitment of 28,000 Personnel
Tinubu Expands Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions, Approves Recruitment of 28,000 Personnel
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions and authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in a major move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture and enhancing the military’s operational effectiveness.
The approval, announced in a State House statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, forms part of the administration’s broader efforts to bolster the Armed Forces’ capacity to tackle the country’s evolving security challenges.
According to the statement, the expansion is expected to 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 responses to emerging threats across the country.
The initiative also builds on the Federal Government’s ongoing investments in the Armed Forces, including the acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and continued support for operational readiness and force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically distributed across the country. These include the 1 Division in Kaduna, 2 Division in Ibadan, 3 Division in Jos, 5 Division in Makurdi, 6 Division in Port Harcourt, 7 Division in Maiduguri, 8 Division in Sokoto, 9 Division in Ilorin, 10 Division in Jalingo, 81 Division in Lagos, 82 Division in Enugu, and the newly designated 83 Division in Benin City.
Each division will oversee military operations within designated states. The new formations in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City are expected to enhance operational coverage in the North Central, North East and South-South regions while improving coordination across existing formations.
The implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, which includes the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions as well as the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026.
The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further restructuring of Army formations, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, as well as officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to defending the nation’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 capable of safeguarding Nigeria’s security and protecting the lives and property of citizens.
By TimesNG