Fresh momentum is gathering around Nigeria’s security sector reforms as the National Economic Council approved N100 billion for the rehabilitation of police and other security agencies’ training institutions across the country. The decision, reached at the council’s 154th meeting, marks one of the most significant commitments in recent years to upgrade facilities that officials have long described as outdated and incapable of supporting modern policing and security operations.
A further N2.6 billion was approved for consultancy services linked to the rehabilitation plan, reflecting the scope of technical work expected in redesigning and rebuilding training infrastructure. The council’s approval followed a detailed assessment by an ad hoc committee set up earlier in the year to review the state of security training schools nationwide. That committee was chaired by the governor of Enugu, Peter Mbah, who reported that many of the facilities were in poor condition and urgently required intervention.
A Long Road to Overhauling Security Institutions
The latest action by the National Economic Council builds on a proposal first raised by President Bola Tinubu during the council’s 152nd meeting in October. At that session, the president directed governors and federal officials to prioritise the reform of security training institutions as part of a broader push to strengthen national security coordination.
The National Economic Council, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, is one of the highest policy advisory bodies in the country. Its membership includes all state governors, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and several key federal ministers. Over the years, the council has emerged as a platform for shaping fiscal and security-related decisions that cut across federal and state responsibilities.
At the latest meeting, Shettima underscored the administration’s determination to ensure that reforms translate into measurable changes for citizens. He reminded members that government performance would ultimately be judged by outcomes, not policy statements, adding in his remarks: “Our task is not to admire problems, but to solve them. Not to explain challenges, but to overcome them.”
Concerns about the state of training facilities for the police, civil defence and other agencies have been persistent for more than a decade. Various federal reports have cited inadequate classrooms, obsolete equipment, overcrowded hostels and poor maintenance as obstacles to producing well-trained personnel. The situation worsened as security challenges from armed robbery and kidnapping to insurgency and banditry intensified across regions.
The 2025 intervention followed a structured review initiated by the council. After President Tinubu’s directive in October, the ad hoc committee visited training institutions across geopolitical zones, according to details released during Wednesday’s meeting. Their findings pointed to significant gaps in capacity, infrastructure and training equipment, prompting the recommendation for a multi-billion-naira overhaul.
The N100 billion approval is expected to focus on rehabilitation rather than construction of new institutions, though details of project timelines have not yet been made public. The additional N2.6 billion for consultancy services will cover technical assessments, design plans and compliance documentation needed before rehabilitation work begins.
Beyond the security sector update, the National Economic Council also received reports from the accountant-general of the federation on the status of key government accounts. These included the excess crude account, the stabilisation account and the natural resources development fund, which hold varying pools of federal revenue and are subject to periodic withdrawals for national emergencies or development projects. The figures provided at the meeting align with the council’s statutory duty to review the financial position of the federation.
On public health, the council’s ad hoc committee on polio eradication presented a report indicating a 39 percent reduction in circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 cases in 2025 compared to 2024. The progress was described as particularly noticeable in Kano and Katsina, two states that have historically recorded high transmission rates. The council endorsed renewed vaccination campaigns in northern states and in Oyo, with emphasis on reaching hard-to-access communities.
Energy supply also featured at the meeting. Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of state for petroleum (gas), briefed the council on the country’s domestic gas supply challenges and outlined plans to clear outstanding debts of N185 billion owed to gas producers. According to the briefing, the debt settlement is expected to stimulate increased production and improve supply for domestic consumption.
