Congrats General Utsaha, Nigerian Army Promotes 28 Brigadier Generals to Major General, 77 Colonels to Brigadier General in Major Shake-Up

In a significant boost to its senior leadership cadre, the Nigerian Army has announced the promotion of 105 senior officers, with 28 Brigadier Generals elevated to the prestigious rank of Major General and 77 Colonels stepping up to Brigadier General. The approvals were made by the Army Council on Thursday, 27 November 2025, in a move aimed at strengthening national defense leadership at a time of persistent security challenges across the country.

The newly promoted Major Generals include several high-profile officers holding critical positions within the defense establishment. Among them are Brigadier General O. Adegbe of the Defence Intelligence Agency, Brigadier General SM Uba, Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General RE Hedima, Acting Chief of Military Intelligence (Army), and Brigadier General RT Utsaha, Deputy Director of Defence Operations. Others elevated to the two-star rank include Brigadier General AM Umar, Commandant of the Nigerian Army Warrant Officer Academy, Brigadier General S. Sulaiman, Deputy Military Secretary (Army), Brigadier General IO Bassey, Director of the Nigerian Army Operations Centre, and Brigadier General CA Ekeator of the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

The list also features officers in sensitive operational and administrative roles such as Brigadier General SY Yakasai, Brigadier General WL Nzidee of Army Headquarters Department of Army Logistics, Brigadier General SA Emmanuel of the Nigerian Army Signals, Brigadier General SS Tilawan, Acting Commander of Sector 3 Joint Task Force North East (Operation HADIN KAI), Brigadier General MO Agi, Desk Officer Tertiary Education Trust Fund at the Nigerian Defence Academy, and Brigadier General IM Abbas, Commander 34 Brigade. Notably, Brigadier General ZA Saidu received a posthumous promotion in recognition of his service.

On the Brigadier General front, several Colonels have been rewarded with the one-star rank, including Colonel Y Ibrahim of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre Abuja, Colonel NN Gambo of the Department of Civil Military Affairs, Colonel A. Saidu of Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps, Colonel A Ali of Army Headquarters Garrison, Colonel I Waziri, Office of the Chief of Defence Staff, Colonel MM Sani of Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, Colonel AA Alkali of the Nigerian Army Dog Centre, Colonel AO Ndah of the Department of Army Training, Colonel IB Sheriff of Headquarters 9 Brigade, Colonel KR Apata of Army Headquarters Provost Group, Colonel MK Akpuogwu of Headquarters Joint Task Force Operation Whirl Stroke, and Colonel PU Nnaji of the Nigerian Army Operations Monitoring Support Team, among many others.

Delivering the congratulatory message on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, emphasized that the promotions were well-deserved. General Shaibu urged the newly elevated officers to redouble their professional commitment, demonstrate exemplary leadership, and inspire their subordinates through personal conduct. He stressed the need for bold, innovative, and unconventional approaches to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security threats swiftly and decisively.

The COAS further reminded the officers of their sacred duty to defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity and uphold unwavering loyalty to the Constitution, stating that such allegiance must remain “absolute, unwavering, and beyond reproach.”

This round of promotions comes as the Nigerian military continues to battle multiple insurgencies, banditry, and separatist agitations across different geopolitical zones. The elevation of experienced field commanders and technical experts to the highest operational ranks is widely seen as a strategic effort to inject fresh energy and expertise into the top echelons of the Army at a pivotal moment.

Congratulations to all the newly promoted senior officers. Their elevation is not just personal achievement but a call to even greater service as the nation looks to its military for continued stability and security.