President Bola Tinubu has approved a major restructuring of the Nigerian Army with the creation of four additional divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 new personnel to strengthen the country’s security architecture and enhance military operations nationwide.
The approval increases the number of Army operational divisions from eight to 12, a move the Presidency said would improve operational efficiency, decentralise command structures and ensure faster response to emerging security threats.
The development was announced on Thursday in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to Onanuga, the approval underscores the Tinubu administration’s commitment to strengthening the Armed Forces and equipping them to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
“The 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 statement said.
The Presidency explained that the restructuring forms part of broader military reforms being implemented by the administration, including increased manpower, acquisition of modern military platforms and equipment, enhanced troop welfare and sustained investments in operational readiness and force modernisation.
It noted that the expansion builds on the Federal Government’s approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to boost the Army’s strength and improve its capacity to confront insurgency, banditry, terrorism and other security threats.
As part of the reorganisation, four new divisional headquarters will be established in Makurdi, Benue State; Ilorin, Kwara State; Jalingo, Taraba State; and Benin City, Edo State.
The Presidency said the new divisions are expected to strengthen command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, improve border security, protect critical national infrastructure and enhance counter-insurgency and internal security operations across the country.
“The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide,” Onanuga stated.
Implementation of the new structure will be carried out in two phases. The first phase, involving 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, expected to be completed by December 2026, will see the establishment of the 83 Division in Benin City and the conclusion of the restructuring exercise.
President Tinubu also commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, alongside officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication and professionalism in defending the country’s territorial integrity.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the Armed Forces remain adequately equipped, well-motivated and fully prepared to safeguard Nigeria and its citizens.
Under the new structure, the 5 Division will oversee military operations in Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states, while the 9 Division will cover Kwara and Niger states. The 10 Division will be responsible for Taraba and Adamawa states, and the newly created 83 Division will oversee Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The existing formations remain unchanged, with the 1 Division headquartered in Kaduna covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states; the 2 Division in Ibadan overseeing Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states; the 3 Division in Jos covering Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states; the 6 Division in Port Harcourt responsible for Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states; the 7 Division in Maiduguri covering Borno and Yobe states; the 8 Division in Sokoto overseeing Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states; the 81 Division in Lagos responsible for Lagos and Ogun states; and the 82 Division in Enugu covering Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states.
The restructuring represents one of the most significant overhauls of the Nigerian Army in recent years and is expected to strengthen the military’s presence across the country while enhancing its capacity to respond swiftly to security challenges.
