?In a significant move to overhaul the nation's security architecture and enhance defense capabilities, President Bola Tinubu has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions. The strategic overhaul is supported by an authorization to recruit 28,000 additional personnel to bolster operational effectiveness across the country.  

?The restructuring introduces four new divisions—located in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo, and Benin City—aimed at improving command and control, decentralizing operational decision-making, and securing critical national infrastructure.  

?Under the newly approved force structure, the 12 divisions will cover specific regional zones across Nigeria:

?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  

?The implementation will roll out in two distinct phases. Phase one involves establishing the 5, 9, and 10 Divisions alongside reorganizing existing formations, scheduled for completion by September 2026. Phase two will follow with the establishment of the 83 Division and final structural reorganizations, set to be fully finalized by December 2026.