Presidency extends deadline for National Policing Bill submissions

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation to August 21, 2026.

The new deadline is 5 p.m. West Africa Time.

The extension was announced in a statement signed by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila said the extension was intended to give individuals, institutions and organisations more time to make substantive contributions to the proposed legislation.

He said the working group was committed to ensuring broad consultation and incorporating the views of Nigerians and relevant stakeholders into the development of the bill.

The proposed National Policing Bill is expected to establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework for a more effective policing system capable of responding to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

It is also expected to strengthen accountability, professionalism and safeguards for citizens’ rights.

Gbajabiamila urged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics and other interested members of the public to submit their memoranda through the official National Policing Bill portal before the new deadline.

He said stakeholders’ contributions were particularly important in addressing issues such as sustainable funding, command and control, recruitment and training, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination and accountability.

The working group will also consider safeguards against political interference and abuse as it develops the proposed policing framework.

According to Gbajabiamila, the final draft of the bill will be designed to provide an effective, accountable and sustainable policing structure that responds to the security needs of communities across the country.

The group said it would, at the end of its assignment, submit an implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for legislative consideration.

The National Policing Bill portal was launched on August 3, 2026, when the public consultation process was announced.

The working group is expected to submit the completed Executive Bill package to President Tinubu for review on September 3, 2026.