Nigeria's State Police Bill Advances Amid Safeguard Concerns

Nigeria's proposed state police system has advanced with the passage of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, by both chambers of the National Assembly. This bill, supported by 289 members of the House of Representatives and 84 senators, aims to replace the centralized policing structure with a Federal Police Service alongside optional State Police Services.

However, policy experts at Nextier, including Samuel Oluwajobi and Khadijat Shuaibu Riko, caution that the reform could fail without robust legal, financial, and institutional safeguards. The bill requires ratification by at least 24 State Houses of Assembly and presidential assent before becoming law.

Nextier's policy brief warns of potential political interference, funding disparities, and weak oversight, recalling Nigeria's previous regional policing experiment from 1960 to 1966 that ended due to political manipulation. The organization emphasizes the need for minimum funding guarantees and police welfare in the enabling legislation to ensure effective implementation.