President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions, alongside the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel.

The Presidency announced the decision in a State House statement issued on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, the expansion is designed to improve the army’s operational effectiveness and strengthen Nigeria’s response to security threats nationwide.

It builds on the administration’s continued investment in the Armed Forces, which has included new military equipment, improved troop welfare and support for force modernisation.

Four New Divisions to Be Established Nationwide

Under the new structure, four additional divisions will be set up in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City.

The Presidency said the new formations would improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, and strengthen border security.

They are also expected to boost protection of critical national infrastructure and speed up the military’s response to emerging threats.

Implementation will happen in two phases.

The first phase covers the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions, along with the reorganisation of existing formations, and is expected to be completed by September 2026.

The second phase, which includes setting up the 83 Division and further restructuring, is scheduled for completion by December 2026.

President Praises Army Leadership Amid Security Push

Tinubu commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, along with the army's officers and soldiers, for their service to the country.

Shuaibu took over as army chief earlier in the Tinubu administration and has overseen ongoing operations against insurgent and bandit groups across northern Nigeria.

“The President reaffirmed his Administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians,” the statement said.

The army expansion follows years of pressure on Nigeria’s military, which has been stretched by simultaneous operations against Boko Haram in the northeast, banditry in the northwest, and separatist agitation in the southeast.

Security analysts have long argued that Nigeria’s eight-division structure, largely unchanged for decades, left commanders managing territories too large to control effectively.