• Nigeria approves new police training center with 15 billion naira funding

• Project aims to modernize training, expand Nigeria Police Academy capacity

• Move comes amid insurgency, kidnappings and broader security challenges

Nigeria has approved the creation of a new police training center in Erinja, Ogun State, according to a presidency statement issued on Tuesday, April 21. An initial allocation of 15 billion naira ($11.1 million) was also approved for the project.

The initiative aims to improve governance, modernize police training and strengthen national security. Funding will be provided under the 2026 TETFund budget and will cover priority infrastructure, academic facilities, student accommodation and core training equipment.

The decision is part of efforts to implement a 2021 law establishing the Nigeria Police Academy, which provides for expanding the institution, previously based in Wudil, Kano State.

Security context

The announcement comes amid an ongoing security crisis. Nigeria is facing a jihadist insurgency in the northeast, along with a surge in banditry and kidnappings. In November 2025, several schools were targeted in coordinated attacks, with more than 300 students abducted in Niger State, according to the United Nations.

Authorities have stepped up security measures in recent months, including increased security operations. The president declared a state of emergency in November 2025 and ordered the recruitment of an additional 20,000 officers to boost security force capacity.

Ingrid Haffiny