Presidency seeks private sector funding for state police

The Presidency has instructed private businesses across Nigeria to devise a thorough plan for financing and executing the proposed state police system, according to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President. NESG, chambers of commerce, and business associations have been specifically tasked with crafting practical proposals for financing, institutional management, and accountable partnerships to bolster the decentralization of policing.

Gbajabiamila emphasized that the private sector plays a crucial role in the success of the reform, as insecurity is already causing significant financial losses for businesses through disrupted supply chains, abandoned investments, delayed factory expansions, and lost economic opportunities. Speaking at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit, Gbajabiamila urged the NESG and other private sector stakeholders to continue their engagement beyond the summit, presenting concrete proposals for financing and implementing state police, including practical measures for accountable partnerships.

He stressed that businesses could contribute their expertise in communications infrastructure, equipment maintenance, and financial planning, but stressed that such partnerships must adhere to clearly defined legal and accountability frameworks. The administration aims to establish financially sustainable state police institutions, ensuring that states with the capability to manage the service can meet recurrent expenditure obligations, including personnel salaries, professional training, and operational maintenance.

Gbajabiamila assured that federal policing would continue in states not yet prepared institutionally or financially to establish their own police services. The reform aims to correct the structural imbalance, allowing states to assume greater responsibility for protecting their residents while maintaining a strong federal police institution to handle interstate criminal activities and other specialized national security needs.