- Tinubu is expected to receive the National Policing Bill on September 3
- Nigerians can submit suggestions through the new public consultation portal
- The proposed law seeks to reform policing while protecting national standards and citizens’ rights
The Federal Government has announced that President Bola Tinubu is expected to receive the Executive National Policing Bill for consideration on September 3, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to reform Nigeria’s policing system.
To encourage public participation, Eko Hot Blog gathered that the Presidency has also launched an online platform where Nigerians can submit memoranda and policy recommendations before the proposed legislation is presented to the President and later forwarded to the National Assembly.
The Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists after a meeting of the working group at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
He explained that the reform process follows a seven-week implementation schedule running from July 27 to September 14, 2026, with clearly defined milestones.
Gbajabiamila said the draft Executive Bill is expected to be completed and presented to the President on September 3. He noted, however, that broader national consultations would be concluded before the President gives final approval, after which the bill and supporting documents would be finalised for submission to lawmakers.
According to him, the legislative package will include an explanatory memorandum, legal review, clause-by-clause analysis, fiscal and implementation framework, state readiness assessment, validation report, risk analysis, consequential amendment schedule and other supporting documents.
He described the proposed legislation as a landmark reform designed to establish a professional, accountable and sustainable policing framework that balances state-level policing with national security standards and constitutional safeguards.
Gbajabiamila clarified that although both chambers of the National Assembly have approved constitutional amendments relating to state policing, the amendments are not yet in effect because they still require endorsement by the required number of State Houses of Assembly.
He stressed that the Nigeria Police Force remains the country’s only constitutionally recognised police institution until that process is completed.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives also emphasised that the proposed state policing structure must not become a political tool in the hands of state authorities.
He said the reform aims to ensure that no elected official can misuse security agencies to harass political opponents or suppress lawful activities, while any federal intervention in state policing must remain limited, justified and subject to review.
Gbajabiamila also announced that the public consultation portal, nationalpolicingbill.com, became operational on Monday. The platform will allow citizens from across the country to submit suggestions and position papers over the next two weeks, with the possibility of extending the consultation period.
He added that the website is expected to migrate to a government domain in the coming days.
On finding for the proposed policing framework, Gbajabiamila said it was too early to provide a cost estimate, explaining that the financial implications would be determined through detailed research based on the unique needs of each state.
He further noted that while national standards would guide the new policing structure, they are intended to establish minimum operational requirements rather than limit the capacity of states that can exceed those benchmarks.
