By Seun Ibiyemi
In a bid to strengthening security architecture across the country, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s operational structure from eight to 12 divisions, recruitment of 28,000 personnel and improving the military’s operational effectiveness.
The approval, announced on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is part of the administration’s broader efforts to enhance national defence and tackle evolving security threats across the country.
According to the statement, the expansion builds on the Federal Government’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including the approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional military personnel, procurement of critical military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare and continued support for force modernisation.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country.
The divisions include the 1 Division in Kaduna covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; 2 Division in Ibadan covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo; 3 Division in Jos covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe; 5 Division in Makurdi covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi; 6 Division in Port Harcourt covering Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River; 7 Division in Maiduguri covering Borno and Yobe; 8 Division in Sokoto covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara; 9 Division in Ilorin covering Kwara and Niger; 10 Division in Jalingo covering Taraba and Adamawa; 81 Division in Lagos covering Lagos and Ogun; 82 Division in Enugu covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo; and 83 Division in Benin City covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The Presidency said the establishment of new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City would improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security and enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure.
It added that the restructuring would also improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations while ensuring faster military response to emerging security threats nationwide.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases.
According to the statement, the first phase, which covers the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions as well as the reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026.
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The second phase, involving the establishment of the 83 Division and additional reorganisation of military formations, is scheduled for completion 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 country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated and capable of safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians.
The latest expansion represents one of the most significant structural reforms of the Nigerian Army in recent years and is expected to enhance military presence and operational coordination across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
