The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has welcomed the Federal Government’s creation of four new Army divisions across the country.

The Forum says the simultaneous creation of the new divisions is the largest single expansion of the Nigerian Army in modern history.

In a statement, its Chairman and Governor AbdulRaman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State added that the bold step shows President Bola Tinubu’s renewed commitment to security of lives and property.

Abdulrazaq said the forum welcomed the development, including the president’s approval for the Army to hire 28,000 new personnel and acquire more critical military assets.

He pledged the forum’s continued support for and collaboration with the President on national security and all other issues of national development.

A former Director of Army Public Relations, retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said the planned expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions will enhance national security.

He however said this is only if it was backed by adequate funding, equipment and wider security sector reforms.

Usman said this while reacting to President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s operational formations.

Tinubu had approved the expansion alongside the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to boost the army’s operational capacity against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other emerging threats.

The new structure creates divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin, while reorganising existing formations to improve command and control, strengthen border security, decentralise decision-making and enhance rapid response to security threats.

The implementation will be carried out in two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed in September, while the second will be in December.

The former army spokesman described the decision as timely and long overdue, adding that Nigeria’s growing population, vast territory and evolving security threats justified the increase in the army’s order of battle.

According to him, the army has already expanded its training institutions in recent years, making it necessary to create additional operational formations to absorb newly trained personnel.

He however, warned that establishing new divisional headquarters alone would not solve the country’s security challenges.

Usman said the expansion must be complemented with barracks, accommodation, weapons, armoured vehicles, artillery, communication equipment, transport assets and robust logistics support.

He added that the recruitment and training of about 28,000 additional personnel would also require significant investment in manpower development and welfare.

“The expansion is a welcome development, but funding will determine its success. It must be supported with adequate resources to achieve the desired objectives,” he said.

Usman expressed confidence that the Federal Government would provide the necessary resources, having initiated the expansion programme.

He said the additional divisions would improve troop deployment, shorten response time and enhance the military’s ability to deny terrorists, bandits and kidnappers freedom of movement.

The retired general noted that some of the new divisions would emerge through the restructuring of existing formations rather than the establishment of entirely new military structures.

He stressed that the Armed Forces alone could not solve Nigeria’s security challenges without strengthening other security and law enforcement agencies.

According to him, the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Correctional Service and the criminal justice system all require sustained reforms.

He noted that years of neglect of the policing system had contributed significantly to the country’s internal security challenges.

On emerging threats, he emphasised the need for continuous investment in modern technology, including drones and artificial intelligence, to counter terrorists increasingly deploying sophisticated technologies.

He however said that technology could not replace well-trained personnel, noting that modern military equipment still depended on skilled soldiers for effective deployment and maintenance.

Usman concluded that the army expansion would strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture if implemented alongside broader governance, institutional and socio-economic reforms addressing the root causes of insecurity.

Former Director of Defence of Information, retired Maj.-Gen. Christopher Olukolade, has said the expansion of the Nigerian Army to 12 divisions will significantly strengthen national security and improve operational effectiveness.

President Bola Tinubu approved the army expansion from eight to 12 divisions and also approved the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to tackle evolving security challenges nationwide.

Olukolade described the decision as timely and strategic, saying it reflected government’s commitment to strengthening military capacity against Nigeria’s complex and multifaceted security threats.

“This development is desirable and most welcome because it offers enormous advantages in enhancing the military’s capacity to tackle Nigeria’s hydra-headed security challenges,” he said.

He said the new force structure would increase operational coverage through additional divisions, brigades, battalions and troops, enabling the Army to sustain stronger presence across vulnerable areas.

According to him, the expansion will also bring additional equipment, combat platforms and operational vehicles, thereby increasing the Army’s firepower, mobility and overall operational reach.

Olukolade said the Nigerian Army had remained operationally overstretched for years because of multiple internal security operations across different theatres of operation nationwide.

He said the new divisions would reduce prolonged deployments by enabling more frequent troop rotations, adequate rest periods and retraining to improve morale and combat effectiveness.

The retired general said additional formations would also ensure faster military response to attacks, especially across ungoverned spaces and remote communities facing persistent security threats.

He said permanent Forward Operating Bases could now be established in Sambisa Forest, Lake Chad Basin, North-West forests and Oke-Ogun corridor instead of distant deployments.

Olukolade added that more divisional headquarters would strengthen civil-military relations by bringing military leadership closer to local communities affected by insecurity across the country.

He said the arrangement would improve intelligence gathering, early warning systems and operational coordination among the military, Police, NSCDC and other security agencies.

A Defence and Security Expert, Dr Sani Abubakar, has commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions.

Abubakar described the approval as a bold strategic step towards strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.

President Tinubu had approved the expansion alongside the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel to boost the Army’s operational capacity against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other emerging threats.

The new structure creates divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, while reorganising existing formations to improve command and control, strengthen border security, decentralise decision-making and enhance rapid response to security threats.

The implementation will be carried out in two phases, with the first phase expected to be completed by September 2026 and the second by December 2026.

Reacting to the development, Abubakar, described the expansion as timely, saying Nigeria’s growing population, vast landmass and multiple security threats demanded a larger and better-equipped force.

He, however, cautioned that the initiative would only achieve its objectives if matched with adequate funding, modern equipment, improved troop welfare, advanced technology and reforms across other security agencies.

He also expressed confidence in the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, citing his operational experience from Operation LAFIYA DOLE to Operation HADIN KAI.

“For too long our numerical strength has not matched our operational requirements.

“Nigeria has one of the largest land masses in Africa, with porous borders and multiple overlapping threats. You cannot secure that space with a thin, overstretched force,” he said.

Abubakar, however, stressed that expanding troop strength without improving capability would merely spread existing challenges across more formations.

He called for better troop welfare, including decent accommodation, healthcare, insurance and competitive incentives, describing welfare as a critical combat multiplier rather than a social benefit.

According to him, the Army must also accelerate force modernisation through investment in drones, night-vision devices, secure communications, ballistic protection and other technologies needed for contemporary warfare.

Drawing lessons from Ukraine’s extensive use of drones, he urged the military to establish dedicated drone schools and partner indigenous technology firms to manufacture unmanned systems locally.

He also advocated stronger coordination between the military, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and local authorities to consolidate gains after military operations.

Abubakar further emphasised the need for faster intelligence exploitation, saying shortening the military’s Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA) loop would significantly improve operational outcomes.

According to him, the expansion represents one of the most significant structural reforms of the Nigerian Army in recent years and could become a turning point in Nigeria’s security campaign if supported with sustained investment, institutional reforms and a whole-of-government approach.