Infrastructure Gap: Only 2,000 police stations insufficient for Nigeria’s 200m population – IGP

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has warned that Nigeria’s existing security infrastructure is grossly inadequate to effectively protect its population of over 200 million people.

Speaking at the Infrastructure Dialogue 2026 in Abuja, the police chief disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force currently operates about 2,000 police stations nationwide, a figure he described as insufficient for modern security demands.

According to him, the shortfall in infrastructure has continued to undermine operational efficiency and national security coverage.

“As of today, we have only about 2,000 police stations nationwide. These deficits directly affect operational effectiveness and must be addressed through sustainable financing models,” he said.

He further noted that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission has identified the need for an additional 3,000 police stations, 1,000 prisons, and 170 barracks to strengthen the country’s security architecture. He also pointed to dilapidated facilities and outdated systems as key operational challenges facing the force.

Disu warned that Nigeria continues to face growing threats to critical infrastructure, including vandalism, sabotage, extortion, and activities of organised criminal groups, stressing that policing must support a stable environment for economic growth.

Responding, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule acknowledged the infrastructure gaps but noted that the challenges extend beyond funding alone, emphasizing the broader nature of national infrastructure needs.

Former Adamawa State Governor Boni Haruna also weighed in, arguing that Nigeria’s infrastructure crisis is worsened by weak credibility in contract enforcement and governance systems.

“When we want to win the confidence of investors, our courts and arbitration must be respected. Nigeria’s infrastructure gap is not a financing gap. It is a credibility gap,” he said.