President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a sweeping overhaul of the Nigerian Army, expanding its structure from eight to 12 divisions and authorizing the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to bolster national security.
​The decision was disclosed on Thursday, July 23, 2026, in an official statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
​According to Onanuga, the restructuring is designed to enhance command and control, decentralize operational decision-making, improve border security, protect critical infrastructure, and strengthen counter-insurgency capabilities across the country.
​The reform introduces four new divisional headquarters across key strategic regions; 5 Division (Makurdi, Benue State), Operations covering Benue, Nasarawa, and Kogi states.
The 9 Division (Ilorin, Kwara State) Operations covering Kwara and Niger states, 10 Division (Jalingo, Taraba State) Operations covering Taraba and Adamawa states and 83 Division (Benin City, Edo State): Operations covering Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa states.
​These new additions join existing formations headquartered in Kaduna (1 Div), Ibadan (2 Div), Jos (3 Div), Port Harcourt (6 Div), Maiduguri (7 Div), Sokoto (8 Div), Lagos (81 Div), and Enugu (82 Div).
​The Presidency stated that the force modernization plan will be executed in two distinct phases: Phase 1 Target Establishment of the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions, along with the reorganization of existing military formations by September. Phase 2 will Target Full operationalization of the 83 Division in Benin City and final force alignment by December.
​The administration emphasized that the restructuring works in tandem with ongoing investments in military hardware acquisition, troop welfare improvements, and frontline operational readiness.
