President Tinubu Approves New Campus for Nigeria Police Academy in Ogun State, Allocates ₦15 Billion Take-Off Grant

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a new campus of the Nigeria Police Academy in Erinja, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, and sanctioned a special take-off grant of ₦15 billion to support its initial development.

The approval, conveyed through a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, is consistent with the Nigeria Police Academy (Establishment) Act, 2021, which makes provision for the academy to operate multiple campuses across the federation.

The ₦15 billion will be sourced from the 2026 allocation of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and will be used to finance critical infrastructure, academic buildings, student hostels and essential training facilities at the new site.

The decision to locate the campus in Erinja followed a detailed high-level consultative meeting involving the Minister of Police Affairs, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Inspector-General of Police and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission.

Participants at the meeting examined key issues including projected student enrolment capacity, long-term funding sustainability, maintenance of academic standards and the manpower requirements of the Nigeria Police Force, which continues to expand its recruitment drive.

President Tinubu views the expansion of the Police Academy as a strategic step towards strengthening institutional governance, advancing modern policing education and reinforcing national security architecture. The presidential statement emphasised that the intervention fund would address priority infrastructure needs and core training assets.

The Nigeria Police Academy, headquartered at Wudil in Kano State, is a degree-awarding institution that combines academic studies with specialised police training. Its graduates form an important part of the officer cadre of the Nigeria Police Force.

With ongoing large-scale recruitment to address security demands nationwide, the establishment of a second campus is expected to ease pressure on the main facility and broaden access to professional training.

Ogun State was selected after careful consideration of its strategic location, existing educational infrastructure and potential to serve candidates from the southern part of the country. The move also reflects the federal government’s broader policy of ensuring more balanced distribution of national institutions.

Security and education stakeholders have described the approval as a welcome development that could contribute meaningfully to efforts aimed at improving the quality and professionalism of policing in Nigeria. A well-equipped training institution is regarded as essential for producing officers capable of handling contemporary security challenges.

The decision to draw funding from TETFund highlights the government’s intention to utilise established education intervention mechanisms for the development of specialised institutions. TETFund, financed through a two percent education tax on company profits, has supported infrastructure and academic upgrades in public tertiary institutions for many years.

Implementation of the project will require careful planning, transparent procurement processes and sustained budgetary support beyond the initial grant. Effective coordination among the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission and the academy’s governing council will be necessary to ensure timely and efficient execution.

The approval comes as the federal government maintains focus on security sector reforms. Expanding training capacity forms part of a wider strategy that includes recruitment, equipment modernisation and other measures designed to strengthen internal security.

Earlier in the year, President Tinubu reconstituted the governing council of the Nigeria Police Academy, appointing former Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam as chairman.

The latest decision on the Ogun campus builds on that foundation and signals continued attention to the academy’s growth and development. For the people of Ogun State, particularly in Yewa South, the new campus is expected to generate economic opportunities through construction activities and the eventual presence of staff and students.

Local authorities have indicated their readiness to cooperate fully to ensure the project’s success. Nevertheless, several challenges will need to be addressed. These include recruiting qualified academic and technical staff, updating the curriculum to reflect modern policing practices, and ensuring that the new campus maintains high standards comparable to the main campus in Wudil.

If successfully executed, the Erinja campus could serve as a template for further expansion of police training facilities in other parts of the country. In the immediate term, attention will shift to the detailed design, procurement and construction phases of the project.

The ₦15 billion take-off grant represents a substantial commitment by the federal government. Its effective utilisation will be closely watched by stakeholders as a measure of the administration’s seriousness about strengthening the country’s security training infrastructure.