President Bola Tinubu has approved the conferment of 959 national honours and endorsed sweeping reforms to strengthen funding for the Nigeria Police Force.
The announcement came on Thursday after back-to-back meetings of the National Council of State and the Nigeria Police Council at the State House, Abuja.
Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr. Emanso Umobong, told reporters that the President approved the reports of the National Honours Award Committee for 2024 and 2025, alongside special recognitions already conferred since January.
“After diligent screening and selection by the committee, a total of 824 successful applicants were recommended for the 2024/2025 National Honours and 135 special awards by the President, bringing it to a total of 959 awardees,” Umobong said.
She added that the committee, chaired by Justice Sidi Bage, screened over 5,000 applications before arriving at the final list.
Bill Gates, Super Falcons Among Honourees
Umobong said Tinubu had already honoured several Nigerians and friends of the country in the past year, including Bill Gates for contributions to public health, Uncle Sam Pemu for journalism, and the Super Falcons and D’Tigress for excellence in sports.
Others include the Ogoni Nine and Ogoni Four, honoured posthumously for their environmental activism, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the outgoing INEC Chairman, recognised for his service to Nigeria’s democratic process.
She explained that the full list of awardees would be published soon.
“The award of titles of honour and decorations of dignitaries is a yearly event at which the President honours deserving nationals and non-nationals who have distinguished themselves in the service of the nation and humanity,” she said.
Police Funding Framework Gets Overhaul
Following the Council of State session, Tinubu also chaired the Nigeria Police Council, which approved major changes to the Police Trust Fund (PTF).
Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the Council ratified proposals to repeal and re-enact the 2019 Police Trust Fund Establishment Act to remove its six-year limit and convert it into a permanent agency.
“The sunset clause of six years in the current Act limits the lifespan of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund and impedes long-term planning,” Geidam said.
He added that the Council also approved an upward review of the PTF’s funding from 0.5 per cent to 1 per cent of the Federation Account, and directed the Attorney-General to draft an executive bill reflecting all the new resolutions for submission to the National Assembly.
Towards Sustainable Police Reform
The Nigeria Police Trust Fund was created in 2019 to support police training, welfare, and logistics. However, its limited lifespan and poor funding have long restricted its impact.
Geidam confirmed that all the Council’s reform proposals were approved without amendment.
“All these prayers have been approved without any omission. The Council also directed that the Honourable Attorney-General and Minister of Justice input all the approvals of the Council in the proposed Executive Bill,” he said.
This is a major step toward long-term financial stability for the Police, a key demand from security experts and reform advocates.
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