The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for Nigerians and other stakeholders to submit memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation.
The new deadline is Friday, August 21, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. West Africa Time.
The Chairman of the Working Group and Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced the extension in a statement on Thursday.
According to him, the additional time would enable individuals, organisations and institutions with an interest in the proposed policing reforms to make detailed contributions.
Gbajabiamila said, “The Presidential Working Group is committed to ensuring that the process of developing the National Policing Bill benefits from broad consultation and the informed perspectives of Nigerians and relevant stakeholders.”
He explained that the proposed bill would establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework required to strengthen Nigeria’s policing system while promoting accountability and protecting citizens’ rights.
The chairman said the significance of the proposed reforms made it necessary to allow stakeholders more time to contribute technically sound recommendations.
“Given the significance of the proposed reform to the future of policing and internal security in Nigeria, the Working Group considers it important that stakeholders are afforded more opportunity to make substantive and technically sound contributions,” he said.
He urged legal practitioners, civil society groups, security professionals, state governments, academics, professional organisations and members of the public to submit their memoranda through the official National Policing Bill portal before the revised deadline.
Gbajabiamila noted that several critical areas would require consideration in developing an effective policing framework.
These, he said, include sustainable funding, command structures, recruitment and training, operational jurisdiction, coordination among security agencies, accountability and measures to prevent political interference.
He added that the issues underscored the need for broad consultations to ensure that the proposed framework was practical and responsive to security challenges across the country.
“These considerations underscore the importance of robust stakeholder engagement in developing a framework that is effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the peculiar security needs of communities across the federation,” he stated.
The Working Group is expected to submit a final draft of the National Policing Bill, described as implementation-ready, for further legislative processing after completing its assignment.
The group also thanked stakeholders who had already submitted their memoranda and encouraged others yet to participate to utilise the extended period.
The National Policing Bill portal was opened on August 3, 2026, when Gbajabiamila announced the public consultation process.
The Working Group is expected to submit the completed Executive Bill package to President Tinubu for review on September 3, 2026.
