Nigerian Army Expands with New Divisions and GOCs

The Nigerian Army has appointed General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for its newly established divisions, following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval on July 23, 2026, to expand the Army from eight to twelve divisions. This initiative aims to strengthen command and control, enhance operational effectiveness, and improve responses to terrorism and other security threats.

The new divisions will be headquartered in Makurdi (5 Division), Ilorin (9 Division), Jalingo (10 Division), and Benin City (83 Division). The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaib, approved the appointments to operationalize these divisions.

The newly established divisions will begin operations upon achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) and will progressively work towards Full Operational Capability (FOC). The reorganization includes specific responsibilities for existing divisions, with 1 Division in Kaduna covering Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa States, and 2 Division in Ibadan covering Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States, among others.