Senate Passes Bill To Raise Police Trust Fund Allocation To 1%

The Senate, on Wednesday, passed a bill seeking to increase the statutory allocation to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF) from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of revenue accruing to the Federation Account, a move aimed at strengthening police funding, enhancing operational capacity and improving personnel welfare.

The legislation, titled the Police Trust Fund Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2026, was read for the third time and passed into law after lawmakers considered and adopted the report of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs on the Bill.

Presenting the report, Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Mallam-Madori, urged Senators to support the Executive Bill, describing it as a critical step toward establishing a stronger legal and institutional framework for financing the operations of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

According to the committee, the proposed legislation was designed to provide sustainable funding for police training, procurement of security equipment, acquisition of operational assets and improved welfare for personnel.

It also seeks to enhance accountability, efficiency and service delivery within the Police Force.

Lawmakers noted that the legislation would strengthen Nigeria’s policing architecture by boosting intelligence-gathering capabilities and improving efforts to combat crime and insecurity across the country.

A major provision of the bill is the proposed increase in statutory allocation to the Police Trust Fund from the current 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account.

The proposal, however, sparked extensive debate among senators over its fiscal implications before eventually securing approval.

Sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, the bill sought to repeal the existing Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act 2019 and replace it with a more comprehensive framework capable of addressing longstanding challenges confronting the Police.

Leading the debate on the General Principle of the Bill, Bamidele described the proposal as a strategic national security intervention intended to address chronic underfunding, inadequate infrastructure, obsolete equipment and welfare concerns within the policing system.

He argued that emerging security threats, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and cybercrime, require a modern and sustainably funded police force capable of responding effectively to contemporary challenges.

Beyond allocations from the Federation Account, the proposed s additional funding sources, including development levies, government interventions, international grants and private-sector contributions.

Bamidele explained that the bill also provides for a strengthened governance structure featuring a multi-stakeholder board and a Project Implementation Committee to ensure greater transparency, accountability and efficient execution of projects.

According to him, the legislation aims to establish a more robust and accountable Police Trust Fund, guarantee predictable and sustainable funding streams, enhance operational and technological capabilities, improve personnel welfare and professionalism, and support modern policing strategies aligned with global best practices.

Under the proposed funding model, the Trust Fund will receive resources from: “One per cent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account; Development levies provided under relevant tax laws; Grants and interventions from federal, state and local governments; Donations and support from bilateral and multilateral development partners; and Contributions and endowments from the private sector.”

The Senate Leader said the diversified funding arrangement would reduce dependence on annual budgetary allocations while ensuring long-term sustainability.

“Funds generated under the scheme are expected to be directed toward the acquisition of modern security equipment and operational tools, deployment of digital surveillance systems and forensic technology, construction and rehabilitation of police facilities, strengthening of training institutions, enhancement of intelligence gathering and operational efficiency, emergency response interventions during internal security crises, and improved welfare packages for police officers.”

With its passage by the Senate, the bill now proceeds to the next stage of the legislative process for further consideration before it can be transmitted to the President for assent.