Beyond Recruitment: Why Nigeria’s Security Crisis is a Funding Problem, Not a Numbers Game.
A groundbreaking report by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has shifted the conversation on Nigeria’s security challenges. Presented by the Centre’s Chancellor and former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, the report argues that the “staff shortage” narrative is a distraction from a much grimmer reality: the chronic underfunding and systemic neglect of the men and women already in uniform.
While the government often defaults to mass recruitment as a “silver bullet,” the data suggests that adding more officers to an under-equipped system only multiplies the existing failures.
Table of Contents
The Core Findings: Funding vs. Recruitment
The $7 Station Allowance: A Reality Check
Regional Comparison: Nigeria vs. South Africa & Egypt
The Welfare-Security Nexus: Why Morale Matters
Key Recommendations: A Roadmap to Reform
The Core Findings: Funding vs. Recruitment
The Athena Centre’s report, titled “The Welfare–Security Nexus,” challenges the common belief that Nigeria simply needs “more boots on the ground.”
The Recruitment Trap: Repeated calls for mass recruitment overlook the fact that the current force lacks the basic tools to function.
The VIP Drain: While Nigeria’s police-to-citizen ratio is roughly 1:600 (below the UN’s 1:450 recommendation), a significant portion of these officers are diverted to protect wealthy individuals and VIPs, leaving the general public vulnerable.1
Capacity Over Count: The report argues that 100 well-equipped, mobile, and motivated officers are more effective than 1,000 officers who lack fuel for their vehicles or credit for their communication gadgets.
The $7 Station Allowance: A Reality Check
Perhaps the most shocking revelation in the research is the level of operational neglect at the local level.
The ₦10,000 Problem: In many police divisions across Nigeria, the approved monthly allowance for day-to-day operations—covering everything from stationery to electricity—is as low as ₦10,000 (roughly $7).
Out-of-Pocket Policing: Because these funds are often delayed or insufficient, officers frequently have to ask citizens to provide their own paper and pens to file a report, or source their own fuel to respond to distress calls.2
The Paperwork Leak: Many stations rely on commercial business centers to type and print official documents, creating a massive security risk for sensitive information.
Regional Comparison: Nigeria vs. South Africa & Egypt
To highlight the funding gap, Chidoka used comparative data from other African nations. The results show that Nigeria is significantly under-investing in its primary internal security agency.
| Country | Population (Approx.) | Police Budget (2024/25) |
| South Africa | 60 Million | $5.6 Billion |
| Egypt | 110 Million | $8.7 Billion |
| Nigeria | 220 Million | ~$808 Million |
Despite having the largest population, Nigeria’s police budget is a fraction of its peers, which translates to poor weaponry, zero logistics, and non-existent internet facilities for investigative work. The Welfare-Security Nexus: Why Morale Matters
The report introduces the concept of the Welfare-Security Nexus, arguing that security outcomes are directly tied to how officers are treated.
Subsistence Wages: Many officers earn salaries below the cost of living, which forces them into “survival strategies” like roadside extortion to feed their families.6
Housing & Health: Dilapidated barracks and weak health coverage contribute to a lack of professionalism and a “colonized” mindset where the police see the public as a source of income rather than a community to serve.7
Pension Delays: The fear of a poverty-stricken retirement further discourages officers from taking the necessary risks required in the line of duty.
Key Recommendations: A Roadmap to Reform
The Athena Centre suggests that the government must pivot from “recruitment-first” to “welfare-first” policies between 2025 and 2030:8
Predictable Funding: Institutionalizing the release of operational funds directly to divisional levels to stop “out-of-pocket” policing.
The Ombudsman Model: Creating a police ombudsman to audit welfare delivery and track how funds for barracks and equipment are actually spent.
Technology Over Manpower: Investing in digital data and forensic tools to make the existing force more efficient.
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