Tinubu expands Nigerian Army, adds four new divisions

President Bola Tinubu, the Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria's Armed Forces, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions. This move aims to strengthen the country’s security and improve the Army's effectiveness.

This decision shows the president’s strong commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to tackle Nigeria's changing security issues and to boost national defense.

The expansion continues the administration’s focus on investing in the Armed Forces. This includes plans to recruit 28,000 more personnel and buy key military equipment. There will also be better troop welfare and support for military readiness and modernization.

With the new structure, the Nigerian Army will have twelve divisions spread across the country. Here are the new division headquarters:

1. 1 Division Headquarters, Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)
2. 2 Division Headquarters, Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)
3. 3 Division Headquarters, Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)
4. 5 Division Headquarters, Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)
5. 6 Division Headquarters, Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)
6. 7 Division Headquarters, Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)
7. 8 Division Headquarters, Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)
8. 9 Division Headquarters, Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)
9. 10 Division Headquarters, Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)
10. 81 Division Headquarters, Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)
11. 82 Division Headquarters, Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)
12. 83 Division Headquarters, Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).

The new divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City will help improve command and control. They will also decentralize decision-making, boost border security, protect important national infrastructure, enhance counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure quicker military response to threats across the country.

The new force structure will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, which includes setting up the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions and reorganizing existing units, should finish by September 2026. The second phase, which will include the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganizations, is expected to wrap up by December 2026.

President Tinubu praised the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, along with all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their hard work and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty.

The President also assured that his administration will keep investing in the Armed Forces to ensure they are well-equipped, motivated, and ready to protect the nation and ensure the safety of all Nigerians.