By Folayimika Akanbi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Divisional Headquarters of the Nigerian Army in Ilorin.
This is just as he approved the creation of three other divisions, thus expanding the divisions to 12 nationwide from its current eight structures. Other newly created divisions are located in Makurdi, Benue State; Jalingo, Taraba State; and Benin City, Edo State.
The approval is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday through the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The Ilorin division of the Nigerian Army is to superintend the operations of the military formation in Kwara and Niger States following the approval.
According to the statement, the establishment of the new Divisions will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, 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.
It added that the implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.
While the first phase is to cover the establishment of the 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States), 10
Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States) and 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States), the statement noted that September 2026 is targeted for the completion of the reorganisation of existing formations.
It maintained that the second phase, which is the establishment of the 83 Division and further reorganisation, is expected for completion in December 2026.
Tinubu, in the statement, commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, and all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army for their dedication, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to defending Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The statement reaffirmed Tinubu’s administration’s determination to continue investing in the Armed Forces, ensuring they remain adequately equipped, highly motivated, and fully capable of protecting the nation and guaranteeing the safety and security of all Nigerians.
It reads partly, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions—a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
“This approval 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.
“The expansion builds on the Administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.
“Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:
1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)
2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)
3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)
4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)
5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)
6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)
7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)
8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)
9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)
10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)
11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)
12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).
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