Nigeria plans to recruit 94,000 security personnel, including 50,000 police, to address rising insecurity nationwide, with recruitment portal opening Dec 15.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to recruit over 94,000 new personnel into the country’s security services in a bid to confront escalating insecurity.
Also read: Experts caution Nigeria on strategic US security ties
Under the initiative, the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) will recruit 50,000 police constables. The recruitment portal will open to eligible Nigerians from 15 December 2025 to 25 January 2026.
Applicants for the General Duty cadre must have at least five credits in GCE O-Level, SSCE, or NECO examinations, including English and Mathematics, while specialists require a minimum of three years of relevant experience. Nigerian citizenship by birth is mandatory.
Officials indicate that the Nigerian Army may recruit about 14,000 new soldiers, with both the Navy and Air Force expected to increase their intakes.
The planned recruitment builds on a previous announcement by the Ministry of Interior in June to hire 30,000 personnel across four paramilitary agencies.
The recruitment drive follows a nationwide security emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu on 26 November 2025.
The President directed the Nigeria Police and Armed Forces to expand manpower in response to rising violence and criminal activity.
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and necessary to relieve overstretched security personnel.
He reiterated support for the creation of state police and emphasised the importance of deploying officers to even the smallest communities.
Security experts and retired officers, including Brig. Gen. Peter Aro (retd.) and Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinbi (retd.), have lauded the manpower boost but cautioned that recruitment alone would not solve Nigeria’s security challenges.
They stressed rigorous vetting, professional training, and proper equipment as critical to ensuring effectiveness and preventing corruption or political interference.
Legal professionals, including Adebanjo Ebhoade of the Nigerian Bar Association, Benin Zone, and Ibrahim Lawal of Oyo State, have urged transparency, merit-based recruitment, and oversight by independent committees to ensure the programme strengthens rather than politicises the security sector.
State leaders, including Ondo Attorney-General Kayode Ajulo (SAN) and Edo Governor Monday Okpebholo, called for complementary measures such as state police, technological enhancements like drones, and improved coordination between military and state authorities.
Governor Okpebholo welcomed the new commander of the 4 Brigade, Gen. Ahmed Balogun, pledging full support to improve security infrastructure, including barracks, roads, and operational resources.
Similarly, Oyo State authorities urged urgent reforms following recent kidnappings, highlighting the need to restore effective local security frameworks.
Also read: Nigeria economic recovery shows positive signs – Fasua
The Federal Government’s 94,000-personnel recruitment initiative represents the largest such drive in recent years, aimed at strengthening community policing, paramilitary efficiency, and military capability nationwide. Officials emphasise that the initiative is a first step, with long-term success dependent on quality, training, and strategic deployment.
