Command Redefined: Nigerian Army Releases Full List As 105 Senior Officers Rise To General Rank

The Nigerian Army Council has approved the promotion of a new batch of senior officers to the ranks of Major General and Brigadier General.

According to the announcement, 28 Brigadier Generals have been elevated to Major General, while 77 Colonels have been promoted to Brigadier General.

The development was disclosed on Friday in a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele.

Anele explained that the promotions were endorsed by the Army Council on Thursday, 27 November 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the nation’s defence leadership.

He listed those promoted to Major General to include Brigadier General O. Adegbe of the Defence Intelligence Agency; Brigadier General S.M. Uba, Director of Defence Information; Brigadier General R.E. Hedima, Acting Chief of Military Intelligence (Army); and Brigadier General R.T. Utsaha, Deputy Director of Defence Operations.

Other officers elevated to the rank of Major General include Brigadier General A.M. Umar, Commandant of the Warrant Officer Academy; Brigadier General S. Sulaiman, Deputy Military Secretary (Army); Brigadier General I.O. Bassey, Director of the Nigerian Army Operations Centre; and Brigadier General C.A. Ekeator of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

Also promoted were Brigadier General S.Y. Yakasai, Acting Director of Procurement at the Office of the Chief of Army Staff; Brigadier General W.L. Nzidee of the Army Headquarters Logistics Department; Brigadier General S.A. Emmanuel of the Nigerian Army Signals; Brigadier General S.S. Tilawan, Acting Commander Sector 3 Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI; Brigadier General M.O. Agi, Desk Officer at TETFUND within the Nigerian Defence Academy; and Brigadier General I.M. Abbas, Commander of 34 Brigade. Brigadier General Z.A. Saidu was promoted posthumously.

The statement also detailed the officers promoted from Colonel to Brigadier General, including Colonels Y. Ibrahim of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja; N.N. Gambo of the Army Headquarters Department of Civil–Military Affairs; and A. Saidu of the Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps.

Others named were Colonels A. Ali of Army Headquarters Garrison; I. Waziri from the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff; M.M. Sani of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji; A.A. Alkali of the Nigerian Army Dog Centre; A.O. Ndah of the Army Headquarters Department of Training; I.B. Sheriff of Headquarters 9 Brigade; K.R. Apata of the Army Headquarters Provost Group; M.K. Akpuogwu of Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke; P.U. Nnaji of the Nigerian Army Operations Monitoring Support Team; M.T. Nagudu of the Nigerian Army Armour School; K.O. Bukoye, Commander of 401 Special Forces Brigade; O. Adole of the Nigerian Army Medical Corps; J.A. Ikagba of 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital; D.C. Ibeh of 8 Division Medical Services and Hospital; G.S. Chohwore of 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital; O.G. Okoye and Y.K. Audu of the Nigerian Army Reference Hospitals, among several others.

Anele added that the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, congratulated the newly promoted officers and their families, urging them to heighten their professional commitment and justify the confidence reposed in them.

He further directed the officers to exhibit outstanding leadership, motivate their subordinates through personal example, and embrace bold, innovative, and unconventional strategies capable of delivering swift and decisive responses to emerging security challenges.

The COAS also reiterated that the officers must uphold their oath of allegiance and maintain absolute and unwavering loyalty to the Constitution and to the defence of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.