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 Friday, August 21, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. West Africa Time.
The Presidency had earlier announced that the public consultation window would close by 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 13.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, the extension was granted to allow individuals, institutions and organisations more time to make meaningful contributions to the proposed reform.
According to the statement, the Working Group wants the development of the National Policing Bill to reflect broad consultations and informed input from Nigerians and relevant stakeholders.
The proposed legislation is expected to establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework for a more effective policing structure capable of addressing Nigeria’s changing security challenges, while also strengthening accountability, professionalism and the protection of citizens’ rights.
Gbajabiamila said the significance of the proposed reform made it necessary to provide additional time for stakeholders to submit technically sound and substantive recommendations.
He encouraged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics, experts and interested members of the public to take advantage of the extension and submit their memoranda through the official National Policing Bill portal before the new deadline.
The statement noted that key issues requiring careful consideration include sustainable funding, command and control structures, recruitment and training standards, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination, accountability mechanisms and safeguards against political interference or abuse.
Gbajabiamila added that these issues highlight the need for strong stakeholder engagement in designing a policing framework that is effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the security needs of communities across the country.
He said the Presidential Working Group would produce a final implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for onward legislative processing.
The group also thanked stakeholders who had already submitted contributions and urged others to participate before the new closing date.
The National Policing Bill portal became operational on August 3, 2026, when Gbajabiamila first announced the public consultation process during a press briefing on the proposed reform.
The Working Group is expected to submit the completed Executive Bill package to President Bola Tinubu on September 3, 2026, for review.
