Nigeria will expand its army from eight to 12 divisions and recruit 28,000 additional personnel under a plan approved by President Bola Tinubu, the presidency said on Friday.
The move is aimed at strengthening the military’s ability to respond to multiple security threats across the country, including an Islamist insurgency, armed banditry, kidnappings, communal violence and separatist unrest.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said four new army divisions would be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City.
The government also approved increased spending on military equipment, operational readiness and troop welfare as part of a broader effort to modernise the armed forces.
Under the expanded structure, the army will operate 12 divisions while maintaining headquarters in eight cities. The new formations will cover areas of central, northeastern and southern Nigeria.
The expansion will be carried out in two phases. The 5th, 9th and 10th divisions are expected to become operational by September, while the 83rd Division in Benin City is scheduled to begin operations by December.
Nigeria has been battling a 17-year Islamist insurgency in the northeast, while criminal gangs continue to carry out mass kidnappings and attacks in the northwest. The country also faces recurring communal violence in its central region and separatist agitation in the southeast.