2027: Tinubu’s manifesto outlines plan to recruit over 100,000 security personnel

Insecurity is among the top concerns for millions of Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections, and part of President Bola Tinubu’s response to address the crisis is to expand Nigeria’s security workforce by more than 108,000 personnel if re-elected.

This combines previously announced military and police recruitment targets with a proposed expansion of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The commitment is contained in the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s 2027–2031 presidential manifesto, which outlines the party’s security priorities for a possible second term under Mr Tinubu.

The proposed expansion comprises 50,000 police officers, 28,000 additional military personnel and 30,150 NSCDC personnel.

However, the figures do not represent entirely new recruitment commitments. Mr Tinubu had previously approved the recruitment of 28,000 additional military personnel and authorised the police to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the overall police recruitment target to 50,000.

In November 2025, while declaring a nationwide security emergency, the president authorised the police to recruit the additional 20,000 officers, saying the move would raise the force’s recruitment target to 50,000.

Similarly, in July 2026, Mr Tinubu approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions, alongside the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel.

The four new divisions are to be headquartered in Makurdi, Benue State; Ilorin, Kwara State; Jalingo, Taraba State; and Benin City, Edo State.

The APC manifesto says Mr Tinubu’s administration would complete the establishment and equipping of the four divisions, recruit and train the approved personnel and publicly report their deployment.

Police, Civil Defence expansion

On policing, the manifesto promises to train and deploy the 50,000 newly recruited officers and expand recruitment and tactical training towards a police-to-citizen ratio of one officer to 400 people.

It also proposes transferring static security duties from the police to the NSCDC, beginning with the recruitment of 30,150 personnel, to allow more police officers to concentrate on frontline security and crime prevention.

The party further pledges to introduce digital record systems, geographic mapping tools, body cameras, emergency dispatch channels and modern forensic facilities across the police force.

It also promises to work with the National Assembly, state lawmakers and governors to establish a constitutional and legal framework for accountable state and community policing.

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PREMIUM TIMES reports that the creation of state police is a key policy reform of Mr Tinubu, who hopes to use the initiative to improve the country’s security landscape.

The manifesto did not provide a separate implementation timeline or cost breakdown for the proposed recruitment of the 30,150 NSCDC personnel.

Nigeria is facing several security challenges, including more than a decade of insurgency, worsening banditry, resource-based conflict and communal clashes, which continue to overstretch security forces.

The APC says the proposed expansion of security personnel, alongside improved training, equipment and intelligence gathering, would strengthen the country’s capacity to tackle these threats.