President Bola Tinubu has authorised a major overhaul of the nation’s security structure, greenlighting a 28,000-troop recruitment drive and expanding the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions.
The defence expansion is scheduled to roll out in two distinct phases. Phase one, which establishes the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions alongside a reorganisation of existing units, is targeted for completion by September 2026. Phase two will wrap up by December 2026 with the activation of the 83 Division and final structural adjustments.
According to the Presidency, four new strategic hubs in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City will decentralise decision-making and drastically cut response times to regional threats. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the new bases will “significantly improve command and control… 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.”
The strategic repositioning establishes clear regional commands across the country:
1 Division (Kaduna): Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa states
2 Division (Ibadan): Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo states
3 Division (Jos): Plateau, Bauchi, and Gombe states
5 Division (Makurdi): Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi states
6 Division (Port Harcourt): Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states
7 Division (Maiduguri): Borno and Yobe states
8 Division (Sokoto): Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara states
9 Division (Ilorin): Kwara and Niger states
10 Division (Jalingo): Taraba and Adamawa states
81 Division (Lagos): Lagos and Ogun states
82 Division (Enugu): Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, and Imo states
83 Division (Benin City): Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa states
This restructuring anchors a broader military modernisation campaign focused on acquiring critical hardware, upgrading troop welfare, and strengthening operational readiness. Onanuga emphasised that the decision “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.”
President Tinubu also commended Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, alongside the rank and file, for their dedicated service to national defence.