Presidency Extends Submission Deadline for Proposed National Policing Bill to August 21

The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for public submissions and position papers to Friday, August 21, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. West Africa Time.

The decision follows an initial deadline set for August 13. Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the Working Group, Femi Gbajabiamila, stated that the extension will give stakeholders adequate time to submit well-considered and technically sound contributions to the proposed reform.

The legislation aims to establish an updated operational, administrative, and financial framework for policing, while incorporating safeguards for accountability, professionalism, and citizen rights. Key areas being addressed include sustainable funding, command structures, recruitment standards, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination, and protections against political interference.

Legal practitioners, civil society organizations, security experts, state governments, professional bodies, academics, and members of the public are expected to submit their inputs exclusively through the official National Policing Bill portal, which originally opened on August 3.

Following the consultation period, the Working Group is scheduled to present a finalized draft of the bill to President Bola Tinubu on September 3, 2026, for legislative processing.