Abuja: The Nigerian Government is evaluating strategies to enhance police reforms by augmenting financial support for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) and repealing the provision that limits its duration to six years, with the objective of establishing it as a permanent entity. The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, made this known to State House correspondents at the end of the Police Council meeting chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
According to Voice of Nigeria, Gaidam noted that the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, instituted by the Federal Government in 2019 with a renewable six-year tenure, was conceived to bridge critical deficiencies in police training, logistics, infrastructure, and welfare. He observed that though the Fund had made notable strides in enhancing police operations and capacity development, the inclusion of a sunset clause had introduced uncertainty and impeded long-term strategic planning.
The Minister stated, “The sunset clause in the current Act constrains sustainable reform and long-term development of the Nigeria Police Force. We are therefore seeking approval to repeal and re-enact the NPTF Establishment Act 2025, remove the sunset clause, and transition the Fund into a permanent agency.”
He further proposed an upward review of the statutory allocation from the Federation Account, raising it from 0.5 to 1 per cent, noting that the increment was essential to guarantee sustainable and predictable financing for the ongoing reforms within the nation’s policing architecture. The Minister stated that the enhanced allocation would empower the NPTF to more effectively execute its mandate in critical areas such as the training and retraining of police personnel, procurement of modern crime-fighting equipment, enhancement of welfare packages, and investment in technology-driven policing initiatives.
Gaidam emphasized that the Fund was established to advance the modernisation of the Nigeria Police Force by enhancing communication systems, upgrading surveillance capabilities, and strengthening emergency response operations. It also aims to enhance accountability, transparency, and collaboration with the private sector in addressing security challenges.
He listed ten major objectives of the Trust Fund, including promoting the welfare and morale of police personnel, fostering private sector engagement, improving public safety, and sustaining operations during budgetary shortfalls. He added that the Fund’s interventions had helped bridge critical funding gaps in policing but stressed that sustainable financing was essential to consolidate the gains achieved so far.
“The 1 per cent allocation from the Federation Account will provide a financial buffer for critical police functions, especially during budgetary delays or constraints,” he said. Gaidam urged the Federal Government to endorse three critical measures, foremost among them the repeal and re-enactment of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Establishment Act, 2025, to eliminate the six-year limitation and institutionalise the Fund as a permanent agency.
He further outlined the necessity of increasing the statutory deduction from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of the Federation Account and a directive to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to incorporate the approvals into the proposed Executive Bill for onward transmission to the National Assembly. If endorsed, the proposal would represent a significant milestone in institutionalising comprehensive police reforms and securing sustainable, long-term funding for Nigeria’s internal security operations.