The Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) say more than 400,000 Nigerians have applied for the ongoing recruitment of 50,000 police constables nationwide.

Despite the strong turnout, the exercise has been extended by two weeks due to low application numbers from some states, including Lagos.

The extension was announced on Monday in a statement by PSC’s Head of Protocol and Public Affairs, Mr. Torty Kalu.

“The portal will remain open until February 8, 2026, to allow more eligible Nigerians to apply,” Kalu said.

The online application portal opened on December 15, 2025, and was initially scheduled to close on January 25, 2026.

Officials explained that while states such as Adamawa, Benue, and Kaduna recorded high participation, others including Lagos, Ogun, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, and Anambra lagged behind with significantly fewer applicants.

The disparity prompted the PSC to extend the deadline to ensure fair and balanced representation across the country.

Call for Awareness Campaigns

Eligible Nigerians, particularly from states with low application figures, have been urged to take advantage of the extension and apply through the official recruitment portal before the new deadline.

The commission appealed to state governments, local councils, community leaders, religious bodies, and sociocultural groups to step up awareness campaigns and encourage qualified candidates to participate.

Officials emphasized that the recruitment drive is part of efforts to strengthen the police force and improve security nationwide.

The recruitment exercise follows President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a nationwide security emergency in November 2025.

The directive ordered the police and armed forces to increase manpower to tackle rising insecurity across Nigeria.

The PSC noted that the recruitment of 50,000 constables is a critical step toward achieving that goal.