President Tinubu Expands Nigerian Army to 12 Divisions & Approves New Recruits

(By The Political Razzmatazz Editorial Team | Security & National Defence)

In a major move to strengthen national security, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army. The military’s structure will increase from eight to twelve divisions. Alongside this massive expansion, the President also authorized the recruitment of 28,000 additional military personnel to help fight emerging security threats across the country.

According to the Presidency, the four brand new divisional headquarters will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City.

The New 12-Division Structure

Under this newly approved arrangement, the Nigerian Army will be strategically spread across the following locations to decentralize command:

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

Execution Timeline

The military has designed a clear plan to implement this new force structure in two separate phases:

• Phase One: This phase includes setting up the new 5, 9, and 10 Divisions, along with reorganizing current military formations. It is scheduled to be fully completed by September 2026.
• Phase Two: The final phase will see the establishment of the 83 Division in Benin City and further military reorganization. This is expected to be finalized by December 2026.

Ultimately, this restructuring is expected to decentralize operational decision-making, strengthen border security, and ensure faster military responses to threats nationwide.