In Rebulding Security, Tinubu Expands Army to 12 Divisions, 28 Thousand New Men

•Lauds COAS, officers, others for their commitment to defend nation’s sovereignty

• Reorganisation exercise in two phases to be completed by September, December this year

Deji Elumoye and Linus Aleke in Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to 12 divisions—a move designed to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a release stated that the approval underscored President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.

The expansion built 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.

Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions, strategically positioned across the country.

They are 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), and 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States).

Others are 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) and 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).

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.

Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.

The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and the reorganisation of existing formations, will be completed by September 2026. The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected to be completed by December 2026.

The President commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remained adequately equipped, motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.