RismadarVoice Reporters
July 23, 2026
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions and authorised the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel in a major restructuring aimed at strengthening the nation’s security architecture and enhancing military operations across the country.
The approval, announced in a State House statement on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is expected to improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making and boost the Army’s capacity to respond swiftly to emerging security threats.
According to the statement, the expansion forms part of the Tinubu administration’s ongoing efforts to modernise the Armed Forces through increased manpower, acquisition of military platforms and equipment, improved troop welfare and enhanced operational readiness.
Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate 12 divisions strategically located across the country, with four new divisions to be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City.
The existing formations include the 1 Division, Kaduna; 2 Division, Ibadan; 3 Division, Jos; 6 Division, Port Harcourt; 7 Division, Maiduguri; 8 Division, Sokoto; 81 Division, Lagos; and 82 Division, Enugu.
The newly approved structure creates the 5 Division, Makurdi, covering Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States; the 9 Division, Ilorin, covering Kwara and Niger States; the 10 Division, Jalingo, covering Taraba and Adamawa States; and the 83 Division, Benin City, covering Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States.
The 6 Division, headquartered in Port Harcourt, will continue to oversee military operations in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.
The Presidency said the establishment of the additional divisions would strengthen border security, improve the protection of critical national infrastructure, enhance counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response across the federation.
Implementation of the new force structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, involving the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions as well as the reorganisation of existing formations, is scheduled for completion by September 2026, while the second phase, covering the establishment of the 83 Division and further restructuring, is expected to be completed by December 2026.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, alongside officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain well-equipped, highly motivated and fully capable of addressing the country’s evolving security challenges while safeguarding the lives and property of Nigerians.
