Tinubu Approves Four New Army Divisions, 28,000-Man Recruitment Drive to Boost Nigeria’s Security

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a major restructuring and expansion of the Nigerian Army, increasing the number of Army divisions from eight to 12 as part of efforts to strengthen national security and improve the military’s capacity to respond to emerging threats.

The approval, announced by the State House on Thursday, July 23, 2026, also includes the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to reinforce the country’s security architecture.

Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will establish divisional headquarters in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City. The changes are expected to bring military command structures closer to areas facing security pressures while improving operational coordination and response times.

The expansion represents a significant reorganisation of the Army’s operational footprint and builds on measures already being implemented to increase manpower, establish additional formations and improve the military’s capacity to confront terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other security threats.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, had previously disclosed that the Army was preparing to recruit and train an additional 28,000 troops. The recruitment drive is part of a broader effort to address manpower requirements, while the Army has also been establishing new brigades and other operational units and reviewing its force structure to close identified deployment gaps.

According to the new arrangement announced by the Presidency, the Army’s 12-division structure will be organised as follows:

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

The establishment of the new divisions is expected to decentralise military command and improve operational decision-making at the regional level. It is also intended to strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure and improve the Army’s ability to respond more rapidly to security incidents.

The new formations could also have particular significance for areas such as the North-Central region, where communities have continued to face security challenges, and for the country’s wider border corridors and strategic infrastructure.

The restructuring will be implemented in two phases.

The first phase will involve the establishment of the 5, 9 and 10 Divisions, alongside the reorganisation of existing formations, with completion scheduled for September 2026.

The second phase will focus on the establishment of the 83 Division and further organisational adjustments, with implementation expected to be completed by December 2026.

The Federal Government’s decision comes against the backdrop of persistent and evolving security threats across several parts of Nigeria. The Army has in recent months expanded its operational presence, increased recruitment capacity and established additional formations as part of efforts to improve its response to insecurity. The establishment of the Depot Nigerian Army in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, has also been linked to the planned recruitment of additional troops.

The administration has equally pointed to investments in military platforms and equipment, infrastructure, personnel welfare and operational readiness as part of its broader effort to modernise the Armed Forces.

President Tinubu commended Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu and officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their service and commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The President also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the Armed Forces through sustained investment in manpower, equipment and welfare, with the stated objective of ensuring that the military is adequately prepared to protect the country and safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians.

The latest restructuring marks one of the most significant changes to the Army’s divisional command architecture in recent years. If implemented according to schedule, the expansion is expected to give the military a broader operational reach and a more decentralised command structure by the end of 2026.