President Bola Tinubu on Thursday approved the conferment of 959 national honours and endorsed key reforms to strengthen funding for the Nigeria Police Force during back-to-back meetings of the National Council of State and the Police Council at the State House, Abuja.
Dr. Emanso Umobong, Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, told State House correspondents that the President had ratified the report of the National Honours Award Committee for 2024 and 2025, including 135 special awards given earlier this year. The honours committee, chaired by Justice Sidi Bage, screened over 5,000 applications before recommending 824 recipients for the upcoming national honours alongside the special awardees.
“The award of titles of honour and decorations is an annual event where the President recognises deserving Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who have excelled in various fields,” Umobong said. She added that previous recipients honoured by President Tinubu included philanthropist Bill Gates for public health contributions, journalist Uncle Sam Pemu, the Super Falcons and D’Tigress sports teams, the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four for environmental activism, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu for his role in Nigeria’s democracy.
The full updated list of honourees will be published soon.
Following the Council of State meeting, President Tinubu chaired the Nigeria Police Council, where members approved significant reforms to the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF). Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, announced the Council ratified proposals to repeal and re-enact the 2019 Police Trust Fund Establishment Act, removing its six-year sunset clause to make the Fund a permanent agency.
Geidam explained, “The sunset clause limits the lifespan of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund and impedes long-term planning, thereby constraining sustainable police reform.”
The Council also approved increasing the Police Trust Fund’s allocation from 0.5% to 1% of the Federation Account. The Attorney-General has been tasked with incorporating these resolutions into an executive bill for submission to the National Assembly.
Established in 2019, the NPTF supports police training, welfare, technology acquisition, and logistics, but its limited tenure and funding have hindered lasting reforms. The new measures are expected to enhance police funding and ensure sustainable improvements in the force.
