SECURITY: Tinubu Approves 12 Army Divisions, 28,000 Personnel Recruitment
Dr. Nafisat Makinde, Abuja
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 to strengthen national security and improve the military’s operational effectiveness.
The approval was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. The statement said the move is part of the administration’s efforts to enhance the Armed Forces’ capacity to respond to evolving security challenges through force modernisation, improved troop welfare, operational readiness and the acquisition of military equipment.
The expansion will establish four new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, bringing the Army’s total number of divisions to 12.
According to the Presidency, the new formations are expected to improve command and control, decentralise operational decision making, strengthen border security, protect critical national infrastructure and enable faster military response to emerging threats across the country.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases.
The first phase, covering the establishment of the 5 Division in Makurdi, the 9 Division in Ilorin and the 10 Division in Jalingo, 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 in Benin City and further reorganisation of existing formations, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
Under the new structure, the Army’s 12 divisions will be headquartered in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Ilorin, Jalingo, Lagos, Enugu and Benin City, with operational responsibility across the federation.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to continued investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated and capable of safeguarding the nation’s security.