Defence Restructure; Army Council Promotes 105 Senior Officers, Elevates 28 Brigadier Generals to Major General Rank

The Nigerian Army (NA) is bolstering its strategic leadership capacity. The Army Council officially approved the promotion of 105 senior officers to the ranks of Major General and Brigadier General on Thursday, 27 November 2025, in a move aimed at intensifying professional drive and enhancing the nation’s security architecture. 

A total of 28 Brigadier Generals were elevated to the rank of Major General while 77 Colonels were promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.

The promotion list includes officers occupying critical intelligence, logistics, and operational roles across various formations. Notable officers promoted to the rank of Major General includes Brig Gen O Adegbe, Defence Intelligence Agency; Brig Gen SM Uba, Director, Defence Information;Brig Gen RE Hedima, Acting Chief of Military Intelligence Army; Brig Gen RT Utsaha, Deputy Director, Defence Operations; Brig Gen AM Umar, Commandant, Warrant Officer Academy; Brig Gen S Sulaiman, Deputy Military Secretary (Army); Brig Gen IO Basseye, Director, Nigerian Army Operations Centre and others include Brig Gen CA Ekeator, Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Brig Gen SY Yakasai,Acting Director Procurement in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff; Brig Gen SS Tilawan, Acting Commander Sector 3 Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI and Brig Gen IM Abbas, Commander 34 Brigade.

The Council also approved the promotion of Brig Gen ZA Saidu posthumously.

Seventy-seven Colonels across various corps and departments were also elevated to the rank of Brigadier General, including:

Col Y Ibrahim, Nigerian Army Resource Centre Abuja; Col NN Gambo, Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs; Col A Saidu, Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps; Col I Waziri, Office of the Chief of Defence Staff; Col MM Sani, Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji; Col MT Nagudu, Nigerian Army Armour School; Col KO Bukoye, Commander 401 Special Forces Brigade and Col YK Audu, Headquarters Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu (Nigerian Army Medal), congratulated the newly promoted senior officers and their families. He issued a clear directive focusing on enhanced performance and unwavering loyalty:

"The officers must uphold, without compromise, their sacred oath of allegiance to defend the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Their loyalty to the Constitution must remain absolute, unwavering and beyond reproach."

The COAS specifically charged the officers to demonstrate exemplary leadership and inspire subordinates through personal conduct. Also to intensify their professional drive to justify their well-deserved elevation and

Cultivate bold, innovative, and unconventional solutions capable of delivering swift and decisive responses to the nation’s evolving security threats.

The promotions are effective immediately and are expected to inject renewed vigour into the Nigerian Army’s operational and administrative frameworks.