The Senate on Thursday approved a total of N404.07bn for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, endorsing N170.10bn as its 2025 budget and N233.96bn for 2026 to enhance policing, security operations and critical infrastructure across the country.
The approvals came after the Senate Committee on Police Affairs presented its reports to the chamber. The reports were delivered by the committee’s Acting Chairman, Senator Yunus Akintunde (Oyo Central), on behalf of the committee chairman, Senator Abdulhamid Ahmed Mallam-Madori (Jigawa East).
While presenting the report on the 2025 appropriation, Akintunde explained that the budget had earlier been approved under the 2024 fiscal year but could not be implemented due to legal issues surrounding the proposed amendment to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act.
“This budget proposal under consideration was previously approved for implementation under the 2024 fiscal period.
However, owing to developments arising from the proposed amendment to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, 2019, and other circumstances beyond the control of the Fund, implementation of the approved budget could not commence.
Consequently, the budget is being represented as the 2025 budget proposal for legislative consideration and approval,” he said.
Following the committee’s recommendation, senators unanimously approved the N170.10bn allocation for the 2025 fiscal year.
During deliberations, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi (Bauchi Central) described the Police Trust Fund as an important vehicle for addressing the funding shortfall in the Nigeria Police Force, noting that prolonged legal disputes had prevented the agency from accessing appropriated funds for nearly three years.
“The Trust Fund is supposed to fill the funding gap, but for almost three years, because of legal issues, the Trust Fund has not been able to spend a kobo.
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We encourage the Fund to ensure that every kobo appropriated is properly utilised, and the National Assembly will track its implementation,” Ningi said.
The Senate also approved the Fund’s 2026 budget of N233.96bn, which was presented by Mallam-Madori. More than 90 per cent of the proposed spending is earmarked for capital projects.
Commending the budget framework, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North) said its heavy emphasis on capital expenditure should serve as an example for other Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“I am highly impressed by the fact that more than 90 per cent of the budget is devoted to capital expenditure, while the rest goes to recurrent expenditure.
Other MDAs should take a cue from this because capital spending has greater potential to positively impact the operations of agencies,” Monguno said.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, praised the committee for its work and expressed optimism that the approved funds would improve the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to address the country’s security challenges.
“Your report is well put together and well articulated. The overwhelming support it received speaks for itself. We hope that this sum of money approved today will be utilised in a manner that will add more impetus to the Nigeria Police Force in fighting crime and addressing insecurity, especially kidnapping, banditry and terrorism,” Barau said.
The Nigeria Police Trust Fund was created to provide additional financial support for the Nigeria Police Force through interventions in training, procurement of equipment, operational logistics, infrastructure and other capacity-building programmes.
The Senate’s approval is expected to strengthen the operational effectiveness of the police as the country continues to tackle kidnapping, banditry, terrorism and other security threats.