Senate moves to raise Police Trust Fund allocation to 1% of federation revenue

The Senate, on Tuesday, advanced legislation seeking to double the statutory allocation to the Police Trust Fund, passing a bill for second reading that proposes increasing remittance from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of total revenue accruing to the Federation Account.

The bill scaled through the second reading stage after a lead debate by Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), the Senate Leader, and contributions from several lawmakers.

Opening debate, Bamidele said the proposed amendment is designed to guarantee steady funding for the Nigeria Police Force, particularly in the areas of equipment, training and personnel welfare, in light of mounting security pressures.

He noted that the country is grappling with multiple threats, including insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, cybercrime and communal conflicts, all of which have stretched policing capacity.

Bamidele argued that chronic underfunding, outdated equipment, weak infrastructure, limited training and poor welfare conditions continue to undermine police effectiveness and morale.

According to him, the bill represents a strategic effort to tackle these challenges through a more structured and sustainable funding framework.

While acknowledging the intent behind the existing Trust Fund Act, he said practical implementation had revealed shortcomings in governance, funding stability, project delivery and transparency.

“The new bill seeks to establish a more robust, transparent, and accountable funding mechanism.

“It aims to ensure predictable funding streams, enhance operational capacity and technology adoption, improve personnel welfare, and align policing with global standards.

“Proposed funding sources include one percent of Federation Account revenue, development levies under relevant tax laws, government grants at all levels, international and donor support, and private sector contributions and endowments,” he said.

He added that broadening the funding base would reduce dependence on annual budgetary provisions while sustaining critical interventions such as procurement of modern equipment, deployment of digital surveillance, adoption of forensic tools, rehabilitation of police facilities, training, intelligence gathering and rapid response systems.

The fund, he said, would also strengthen officers’ welfare and support training institutions nationwide.

Seconding the motion, Abba Moro (Benue South), the minority leader, described the bill as both timely and necessary, stressing that inadequate funding remains a major constraint to effective policing. He urged the Senate to make adequate provisions for the fund.

Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) also backed the proposal, describing it as a “massive boost” to the nation’s security framework, but cautioned that it must be implemented with strict accountability.

However, Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) raised concerns over the constitutional implications of deducting funds directly from the Federation Account.

He called for wider consultation with state and local governments to avoid potential legal disputes and ensure adherence to revenue-sharing provisions.

On his part, Tahir Monguno (Borno North) defended the constitutionality of the bill, citing Section 80(2) and arguing that the National Assembly has the authority to legislate on expenditure charged to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Responding, Senate President Godswill Akpabio pointed out that Section 81 requires such expenditures to be captured within the annual budget estimates, rather than as direct deductions.

He assured lawmakers that the Senate would not enact any legislation that conflicts with constitutional provisions, emphasising that due process and accountability would guide the process.

Akpabio added that the proposal would be subjected to further legislative scrutiny at a public hearing, where stakeholders would examine contentious areas, particularly the funding model and implementation strategy.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs, which is expected to submit its report within two weeks.