President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions as part of efforts to improve the country’s security operations.
The approval was announced on Thursday, July 23, 2026, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The new structure will also include the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, alongside the acquisition of military equipment, improved welfare for troops and other measures aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Armed Forces.
Under the expanded arrangement, the Nigerian Army will have 12 divisions spread across different parts of the country.
The divisions will be based in Kaduna, Ibadan, Jos, Makurdi, Port Harcourt, Maiduguri, Sokoto, Ilorin, Jalingo, Lagos, Enugu and Benin City.
The 1 Division will remain in Kaduna and cover Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states, while the 2 Division in Ibadan will oversee Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states.
The 3 Division based in Jos will be responsible for Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe states, while the 5 Division in Makurdi will cover Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi states.
The 6 Division in Port Harcourt will handle Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, while the 7 Division in Maiduguri will continue to cover Borno and Yobe states.
The 8 Division in Sokoto will oversee Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, while the 9 Division in Ilorin will be responsible for Kwara and Niger states.
The 10 Division in Jalingo will cover Taraba and Adamawa states, while the 81 Division in Lagos will oversee Lagos and Ogun states.
The 82 Division in Enugu will take charge of Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states, while the 83 Division in Benin City will cover Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The expansion will create new military formations in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City.
OpThe government said the move would improve military coordination, speed up responses to security threats, strengthen border protection and support operations against criminal activities.
The implementation of the new structure will take place in two stages.
The first phase, which includes the creation of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions and adjustments to existing formations, is expected to be completed by September 2026.
The second phase, which involves the establishment of the 83 Division and further changes to the Army structure, will be completed by December 2026.
President Tinubu praised the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and members of the Nigerian Army for their efforts in protecting the country.
He said his administration would continue to provide support for the Armed Forces to improve their ability to handle security challenges and protect Nigerians.
