The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has explained that the creation of four additional divisions in the Nigerian Army was driven by the need to strengthen command capacity and respond more effectively to Nigeria’s increasingly complex security environment.
Shaibu spoke on Wednesday at the opening of the Second Senior Command and Leadership Seminar 2026 at Headquarters, 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna.
The seminar, themed, “Strategic Leadership for Effective Command in an Evolving Security Environment,” brought together senior commanders and resource persons to examine emerging security challenges and strengthen leadership capacity across the Army.
The COAS said the expansion of the Army from eight to 12 divisions should not be viewed merely as an increase in manpower or equipment, but as a strategic response to the changing nature and geographical spread of security threats across the country.
He said the new formations were intended to enhance command and control, improve the Army’s responsiveness and enable it to maintain a stronger operational presence in areas facing growing security challenges.
Shaibu, however, warned that creating new formations would only achieve its purpose if commanders were able to transform them into cohesive, credible and combat-ready fighting organisations.
“The expansion of the Army from eight to 12 divisions presents both an opportunity and a major leadership responsibility. It goes beyond increasing manpower and equipment. Our senior commanders have a decisive role in transforming these newly established formations into cohesive, credible and combat-ready fighting organisations,” he said.
He charged commanders to ensure that the values they promote, standards they enforce and leaders they develop would strengthen the effectiveness of the new formations for years to come.
The COAS said the contemporary operating environment had become increasingly complex, citing terrorism, insurgency, banditry, transnational organised crime, cyber threats, disruptive technologies and information warfare among the challenges confronting the military.
He urged commanders to develop strategic foresight, professional competence and the ability to make sound decisions under uncertainty.
Shaibu also drew attention to the growing battle for public perception, warning that adversaries were increasingly deploying misinformation, deliberate distortion and manipulation of public opinion to undermine the credibility of the military.
He said commanders must therefore integrate the information environment into campaign design, operational planning and military operations, while ensuring that official communication remained timely, accurate and credible.
According to him, the Nigerian Army’s credibility could not be sustained through communication alone if troops failed to maintain professional standards in the field.
He directed commanders to enforce strict compliance with the Rules of Engagement, respect for human rights, protection of civilians and accountability at all levels.
The COAS said the conduct of soldiers in the field could have consequences extending beyond individual operations, stressing that professionalism remained central to protecting the legitimacy and public confidence in the Army.
He urged the participants to convert lessons from the seminar into practical improvements in command, campaign planning, operational effectiveness and institutional performance.
Shaibu also charged commanders to build cohesive teams, mentor younger officers, develop successors, empower subordinates, encourage innovation and strengthen engagement with communities and legitimate stakeholders within their areas of responsibility.
He said the effectiveness of the Army’s expanded force structure would ultimately depend on the quality of leadership provided by its commanders and their ability to adapt to an evolving security and information environment.
