# Nigeria's military spending spree before elections > President Bola Tinubu is pouring billions into defense and military reforms as insecurity threatens his reelection bid. - Title: Nigeria's military spending spree before elections | Shortify - Summary: President Bola Tinubu is pouring billions into defense and military reforms as insecurity threatens his reelection bid. Nigeria's military spending surged… - Keywords: nigeria, bola tinubu, military spending, 2027 elections, kidnapping, boko haram, insecurity, atiku abubakar, peter obi, islamist insurgency, northeast nigeria, defense reform - Source: Foreign Policy — https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/09/16/nigeria-military-reforms-spending-insurgency-violence-tinubu-election - Author: Nosmot Gbadamosi - Read time: 2 min - Topics: nigeria, bola tinubu, military spending, 2027 elections, kidnapping, boko haram, insecurity, atiku abubakar, peter obi, islamist insurgency, northeast nigeria, defense reform ## New commander for insurgency zone President Tinubu appointed Major General Ibikunle Ajose to lead army operations in the northeast, where Islamist insurgency rages. ## 15 generals reshuffled before polls Ajose's appointment was part of a major reshuffling involving 15 top generals. The moves aim to stabilize key regions before January elections. ## Tinubu faces familiar challengers Tinubu seeks a second term and will face the same main rivals from 2023: former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Governor Peter Obi. ## Opposition coalition collapsed Abubakar and Obi initially joined forces to unseat Tinubu, but their alliance fractured due to competing ambitions. ## Kidnappings surge 66 percent More than 7,800 people were kidnapped between July 2025 and June 2026, a 66 percent increase from the previous year. ## Boko Haram collects ransom millions Kidnappers received $5.8 million in ransom over that period, three times the previous year. Boko Haram collected 90 percent of those payments. ## Violence disrupts farming and food Many farmers can't access their lands due to kidnapping threats, leading to food shortages and hunger, especially in the north. > The security question in Nigeria is closely connected to the economic one ## Rivals promise one-year fixes Abubakar pledged to end insecurity within one year through cross-border military collaboration. Obi promised to fix it through poverty alleviation. > You cannot create widespread poverty and expect peace ## Military spending surges 55 percent Nigeria's military expenditure jumped 55 percent year-on-year to $2.1 billion in 2025. That figure is expected to double this year. ## Salary increases for troops Tinubu approved salary increases for military members last month as part of the massive defense investment. ## Biggest expansion since civil war The investment supports the largest military expansion since Nigeria's civil war in the late 1960s, with 28,000 new personnel planned by December. ## States can create police forces A new bill passed in June allows states to establish their own police forces, reducing pressure on federal police to secure forested extremist hideouts. ## More personnel doesn't guarantee security Kidnapping networks are highly adaptive and operate across boundaries, while security agencies don't always have the same operational reach. > More personnel and better pay do not automatically translate into greater security ## U.S. troops deployed for counterterrorism The United States deployed troops to assist with counterterrorism operations beginning late last year. Most withdrew in July. ## Mass abductions continue despite strikes Although U.S. strikes killed a senior Islamic State leader in May, mass abductions continue. Over 600 people were taken from Niger state last month. ## Key takeaway Nigeria's military spending surged 55% in 2025 and is expected to double in 2026 as President Tinubu tries to address rampant kidnappings and violence before January elections.