President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major restructuring of the Nigerian Army, expanding the force from eight to 12 divisions and authorising the recruitment of 28,000 additional soldiers in one of the biggest military reforms in recent years.
The sweeping reform is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s defence capabilities, improving response times to security threats, and enhancing the Army’s ability to tackle insurgency, banditry, violent crime and other security challenges across the country.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the decision reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to modernising the Armed Forces and improving national security.
The Presidency said the approval builds on ongoing investments in the military, including the acquisition of new equipment, improved welfare for troops and efforts to strengthen operational effectiveness.
“This approval underscores the 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 State House said in a statement.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country. Four new divisions will be created in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, while existing formations will be reorganised to improve command efficiency and nationwide coverage.
The proposed structure includes the 1 Division in Kaduna, responsible for Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; the 2 Division in Ibadan, covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states; and the 3 Division in Jos, covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states.
The new 5 Division will be based in Makurdi and cover Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while the 6 Division in Port Harcourt will oversee Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states.
The 7 Division in Maiduguri will continue to focus on Borno and Yobe states, where troops have been battling Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents. The 8 Division in Sokoto will cover Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.
The newly created 9 Division in Ilorin will cover Kwara and Niger states, while the 10 Division in Jalingo will oversee Taraba and Adamawa states.
Other formations include the 81 Division in Lagos, covering Lagos and Ogun states; the 82 Division in Enugu, covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states; and the new 83 Division in Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
Officials said the expansion would decentralise military command, strengthen border security, improve protection of critical infrastructure and allow faster deployment of troops during emergencies.
The restructuring will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, expected to be completed by September 2026, will focus on establishing the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions while reorganising existing formations.
The second phase, scheduled for completion by December 2026, will include the creation of the 83 Division and further adjustments to the Army’s operational structure.
President Tinubu praised the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and Nigerian soldiers for their commitment and professionalism in defending the nation.
He reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue investing in military equipment, troop welfare and operational capacity to ensure the Armed Forces remain capable of protecting Nigeria’s sovereignty and citizens.
The Army expansion comes as Nigeria continues to face multiple security threats, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes, kidnapping and other forms of violent crime.
The Federal Government believes the larger force structure and increased manpower will help the military respond more effectively to these challenges. However, security experts have stressed that the success of the reform will depend on adequate funding, quality training, intelligence gathering and improved coordination among security agencies.
With the planned recruitment of 28,000 soldiers and the creation of additional divisions, the Tinubu administration is presenting the move as a landmark effort to build a stronger, more responsive Nigerian Army capable of confronting the country’s evolving security threats.
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