Federal Government Approves Conversion of 42 Police Colleges into Specialized Monotechnics

Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, met with senior officials from the Federal Ministry of Education on Monday to discuss the establishment of a new campus of the Nigeria Police Academy (POLAC) in Ogun State and plans to upgrade 42 police colleges across the country.

The meeting, hosted by the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad, was also attended by former IGP Kayode Egbetokun and other stakeholders. It focused on implementing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s earlier approval for the Ogun campus, which comes with a ₦15 billion take-off grant from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) 2026 allocation.

Officials said the new campus in Erinja, Yewa South Local Government Area, is expected to become operational for the 2026 academic session and serve as a southern counterpart to the main academy in Wudil, Kano State. Discussions also covered infrastructure development, resource verification with the National Universities Commission (NUC), and accreditation processes.

In addition to the new campus, the meeting addressed the broader challenge of upgrading the 42 existing police colleges. Some of these institutions are expected to be converted into monotechnics to offer more structured programmes that combine academic studies with practical police training.

The Nigeria Police Force has long faced criticism over the quality of its training programmes, with many observers pointing to outdated facilities and a gap between classroom instruction and operational demands. The proposed reforms are part of ongoing efforts to address these weaknesses.

IGP Disu described the initiatives as necessary for building a more professional police service. Dr Alausa, on his part, noted that the projects align with the federal government’s broader push to strengthen security institutions through better education.

While the plans have been welcomed by some stakeholders as a step toward improving standards, questions remain about funding, timelines and the capacity to deliver meaningful change across so many institutions. A dedicated committee is expected to oversee implementation in the coming months.