Nigerian Senate Advances New Police Trust Fund Bill to Boost Security Financing

The Nigerian Senate has passed for second reading a bill seeking to repeal the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Establishment Act, 2019 (as amended) and establish a new Nigeria Police Trust Fund, 2026 aimed at strengthening funding, welfare, and operational capacity of the Nigeria Police Force.

Leading debate on the bill, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele said the reform is necessary in view of Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, cybercrime, and communal violence, which he said have placed heavy pressure on the police. He noted that the force continues to struggle with inadequate funding, obsolete equipment, weak infrastructure, and poor welfare conditions that affect morale and performance.

Bamidele explained that although the existing Trust Fund Act was a positive step, implementation over time revealed gaps in sustainability, transparency, accountability, and project execution. He said the new bill seeks to address these weaknesses by creating a more robust and efficient funding framework aligned with current realities and global best practices.
The proposed legislation introduces a diversified funding structure, including one per cent of Federation Account revenue, development levies, government contributions at all levels, as well as donations from the private sector, international partners, and endowments.
It also prioritises investment in modern equipment, digital surveillance, forensic technology, training institutions, infrastructure, intelligence gathering, and personnel welfare.

Lawmakers who contributed to the debate described the bill as timely but stressed the need for strong accountability and constitutional compliance. Senate President Godswill Akpabio thereafter referred the bill to the Committee on Police Affairs for further legislative work, directing it to report back in two weeks after further scrutiny and public hearing.