Tinubu ramps up defence spending and army reshuffle ahead of 2027 election

In a bid to address soaring insecurity before the 2027 polls, President Bola Tinubu appointed Maj. Gen. Ibikunle Ajose as the new commander for Nigeria's northeast, replacing a leader who served less than two years. The change follows a reshuffle of 15 top generals and a sharp increase in defence spending, which rose 55% year-on-year to $2.1 billion in 2025 and is projected to double in 2026. The budget supports salary raises, four new army divisions and a recruitment drive for 28,000 soldiers by December.

Opposition figures Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have each pledged one-year plans to tackle kidnappings, focusing on cross-border cooperation and youth poverty alleviation. Yet experts caution that expanding manpower and pay may not automatically translate into security gains, given the flexibility of kidnapping networks. The reforms come as the United States continues limited counter-terrorism cooperation, despite ongoing mass abductions across the country.