Nigerian Army to Recruit 28,000 New Soldiers in Manpower Boost

ABUJA — The Nigerian Army has announced plans to recruit 28,000 new soldiers in one of its largest single recruitment drives in recent years. Punch confirmed the announcement on Friday, June 26. Army officials said the expansion is intended to boost manpower and strengthen operations against banditry, terrorism, and other security threats across the country.

Army spokesperson Major General Olaniyi Olayinka said the recruitment will be conducted in phases across all six geopolitical zones to ensure broad and equitable representation. He said the army’s current troop strength has been stretched thin by simultaneous operations in the northeast, northwest, north-central, and increasingly the southwest.

“We are recruiting 28,000 new soldiers because the demands on our personnel have grown. Troops are being asked to do more, in more locations, for longer periods. This recruitment will give our commanders the manpower they need to rotate forces properly and sustain operations,” Olayinka said.

Why the Expansion Is Needed

Nigeria’s security challenges have multiplied geographically over the past two years. The army is simultaneously fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP remnants in the northeast, bandits across the northwest, farmer-herder conflict in the north-central, and the southward spread of JAS-linked terrorist activity into the southwest, including the recent abductions in Oyo State.

Military analysts said troop fatigue and overstretch have been recurring concerns raised by officers and soldiers in recent years. Extended deployments without adequate rotation have been linked to declining morale and, in some documented cases, to lapses in operational discipline. A larger force should allow for more sustainable rotation cycles.

The recruitment also follows National Assembly disclosures that security and defence allocations have risen from N2.98 trillion to N5.41 trillion in the 2026 budget, an 81 percent increase in three years. Lawmakers said the new troops will need to be matched with adequate equipment, training, and welfare support to translate funding into genuine capability.

Recruitment Process

The army said recruitment will follow its standard merit-based selection process, including physical fitness tests, medical screening, and background checks. Officials urged Nigerian youths interested in applying to use only official army channels and to be wary of fraudulent recruitment agents who have previously exploited desperate job seekers.

The expansion comes as the federal government also advances the State Police Bill through the National Assembly, a parallel reform aimed at decentralising policing. Security analysts said both initiatives reflect a recognition that Nigeria’s current security architecture, in both scale and structure, has been outpaced by the scope of the threats it faces.