The Nigerian Army has announced the promotion of 28 Brigadier Generals to the rank of Major General and 77 Colonels to Brigadier General, marking a major restructuring within its top leadership.
The announcement was made on Friday by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, via the Nigerian Army’s official X handle.
Among those promoted to Major General are Brig Gen O. Adegbe of the Defence Intelligence Agency; Brig Gen S.M. Uba, Director of Defence Information; Brig Gen R.E. Hedima, Acting Chief of Military Intelligence (Army); and Brig Gen R.T. Utsaha, Deputy Director of Defence Operations.
Others elevated include Brig Gen A.M. Umar, Commandant of the Warrant Officer Academy; Brig Gen S. Sulaiman, Deputy Military Secretary (Army); Brig Gen I.O. Bassey, Director of the Nigerian Army Operations Centre; and Brig Gen C.A. Ekeator of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.
Additional officers promoted to Major General are Brig Gen S.Y. Yakasai, Acting Director of Procurement in the Office of the Chief of Army Staff; Brig Gen W.L. Nzidee of the Army Headquarters Department of Logistics; Brig Gen S.A. Emmanuel of the Nigerian Army Signals; Brig Gen S.S. Tilawan, Acting Commander of Sector 3, Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI; Brig Gen M.O. Agi, Desk Officer for TETFund at the Nigerian Defence Academy; and Brig Gen I.M. Abbas, Commander 34 Brigade.
Brig Gen Z.A. Saidu was promoted posthumously in recognition of his distinguished service.
Promotions from Colonel to Brigadier General cut across key formations and institutions, including the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Army Headquarters departments, Special Forces Brigades, and various military hospitals nationwide.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, congratulated the newly promoted officers and their families, urging them to redouble their commitment to professional excellence and justify the confidence reposed in them.
He emphasized the importance of exemplary leadership, noting that senior officers must inspire their subordinates through discipline, competence, and innovation in tackling emerging security threats.
Shaibu further reminded the officers of their “sacred duty” to uphold their oath of allegiance and maintain unwavering loyalty to the Constitution, underscoring the army’s mandate to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
The latest promotions are expected to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s senior command structure, boost operational effectiveness, and enhance the military’s overall response to evolving national security challenges.
