Tinubu expands Nigerian Army to 12 divisions

President Bola Tinubu has approved expanding the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions to strengthen national security and improve operational effectiveness, with a plan to recruit 28,000 additional personnel and invest in key military platforms and troop welfare. The new divisions will be strategically placed nationwide, including Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City, increasing the army’s reach and enabling faster, decentralized decision-making. Officials say the restructuring will improve command and control, bolster border security, protect critical infrastructure, and enhance counter-insurgency and internal security capabilities. The implementation is described as a two-phase process to establish the five new divisions while reorganizing existing ones, and is part of broader ongoing investments in force modernization. The announcements were made by Presidential aides and spokespeople, emphasizing the President’s commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to meet evolving security challenges. This overhaul follows prior government steps to modernize the armed forces and widen recruitment in response to security threats across the country.