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| Nigerian Senate |
The Senate on Thursday approved a combined ₦404.07 billion for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), endorsing the Fund's 2025 budget proposal of ₦170.10 billion and its 2026 appropriation of ₦233.96 billion.
The approved allocations are expected to enhance policing, strengthen security operations and improve critical infrastructure for the Nigeria Police Force.
The approvals followed the presentation of separate reports by the Senate Committee on Police Affairs during plenary.
The committee's Acting Chairman, Senator Yunus Akintunde (Oyo Central), presented the report on the 2025 budget on behalf of the committee chairman, Senator Abdulhamid Ahmed Mallam-Madori (Jigawa East).
Akintunde explained that the 2025 appropriation was a re-presentation of an earlier budget approved for the 2024 fiscal year but could not be implemented due to legal issues arising from the proposed amendment to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (Establishment) Act, 2019.
He said the implementation of the earlier budget was stalled by circumstances beyond the Fund's control, necessitating its resubmission for legislative approval as the 2025 budget.
Following the committee's recommendation, the Senate approved the ₦170.10 billion allocation for the 2025 fiscal year.
Contributing to the debate, Senator Abdul Ahmed Ningi (Bauchi Central) described the Police Trust Fund as a vital intervention mechanism established to bridge funding gaps within the Nigeria Police Force.
He lamented that prolonged legal disputes had prevented the Fund from utilising appropriated resources for nearly three years.
According to Ningi, the National Assembly would closely monitor the implementation of the approved budget to ensure judicious utilisation of public funds.
The Senate subsequently considered and approved the Nigeria Police Trust Fund's 2026 budget proposal of ₦233.96 billion.
Presenting the report, the committee disclosed that more than 90 per cent of the proposed expenditure was earmarked for capital projects, with less than 10 per cent allocated to recurrent expenses.
Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North), commended the spending framework, urging other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to emulate the Fund's emphasis on capital expenditure.
He noted that prioritising capital projects would have a greater impact on the operational effectiveness of government agencies.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary, praised the committee for its work and expressed confidence that the approved funds would strengthen the Nigeria Police Force in addressing the country's security challenges, including kidnapping, banditry and terrorism.
The Nigeria Police Trust Fund was established to provide additional funding for the Nigeria Police Force through interventions in training, procurement of equipment, operational logistics, infrastructure development and other capacity-building initiatives.