By Anayo Akwitti
Stakeholders have endorsed the proposed amendment of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) Act, 2019, describing it as a critical step towards strengthening the funding framework of the Nigeria Police Force and enhancing its ability to address the nation’s evolving security challenges.
The endorsement was expressed during a one-day public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, chaired by Senator Ahmed Mallam-Madori.
Presenting the position of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, the Executive Secretary, Mohammed Sheidu, said the Fund was established in 2019 to bridge longstanding gaps in police funding, particularly in the areas of training, equipment, infrastructure and personnel welfare.
According to him, while the Fund has served as a strategic intervention mechanism over the past six years, practical implementation of the Act has revealed structural, legislative and funding limitations that require urgent reforms.
Sheidu noted that Nigeria’s security landscape has become increasingly complex since the enactment of the law, with threats ranging from terrorism and banditry to kidnapping, cybercrime and organised criminal activities.
He explained that the proposed Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, 2026, is designed to provide a stronger institutional framework for sustainable financing of police modernisation, technological advancement, infrastructure development, training and personnel welfare.
The NPTF boss described the amendment as timely, particularly the provision seeking to remove the Fund’s sunset clause and increase its statutory allocation from 0.5 per cent to one per cent.
“Police reform and modernisation are continuous processes that require long-term planning, sustained investment and predictable funding,” he said.
He added that the proposed legislation aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by strengthening the operational and institutional capacity of the Nigeria Police Force.
Also speaking at the hearing, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, represented by Imarha Reuben, expressed support for the bill, saying it would significantly improve the operational efficiency, effectiveness and welfare of police personnel.
Stakeholders at the hearing maintained that a stronger and better-funded Police Trust Fund remains essential to building a modern, professional and responsive police force capable of meeting Nigeria’s growing security demands.
