President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions, and the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, in a major move to strengthen national security and improve military operational effectiveness.
The approval was contained in a Statehouse press release signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, and made available to journalists on July 23, 2026.
According to the statement, the expansion reflects the President’s commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to respond to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges and to further strengthen national defence capabilities.
The new structure builds on the administration’s sustained investments, including acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.
Under the approved structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions strategically positioned across the country:
- 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)
- 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)
- 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)
- 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).
The Presidency said the establishment of new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, protect critical national infrastructure, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats.
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.
President Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers for their dedication and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He reaffirmed his administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces to ensure they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.
