Nigeria Spends ₦4.36 Trillion on Police Affairs in Five Years as 2025 Allocation Hits ₦1.31 Trillion

The Federal Government’s allocation to the Ministry of Police Affairs has risen sharply over the past five years, with the 2025 budget hitting a record high of ₦1.31 trillion. This brings total government spending on police affairs between 2021 and 2025 to approximately ₦4.36 trillion.

According to official budget data, the ministry received ₦455.13 billion in 2021. The figure nearly doubled the following year to ₦783.86 billion in 2022 and continued its upward trend with ₦838.06 billion in 2023. In 2024, the allocation increased further to ₦969.65 billion before crossing the trillion-naira threshold in 2025.

This surge in funding underscores the government’s growing focus on internal security, amid escalating challenges ranging from banditry and kidnapping to terrorism and communal violence across several states. It also reflects intensified efforts to reform and equip the Nigeria Police Force in line with national security objectives.

Despite these rising investments, concerns remain about the effectiveness of policing across the country. Many communities continue to grapple with delayed response times, under-resourced stations, and public mistrust of law enforcement officers. Critics argue that improvements in funding must be matched with structural reforms, including better training, technology deployment, community engagement, and accountability mechanisms.

Security analysts have emphasized that Nigeria’s policing system must go beyond budgetary expansion. They call for measurable outcomes, such as reduced crime rates, stronger human rights compliance, and improved officer welfare, to justify the massive fiscal commitment.

As insecurity continues to dominate national discourse, the rising financial investment in the police sector will likely remain under close public and institutional scrutiny, especially in the absence of tangible improvements in law and order.