Nigeria

Key Results

UNDP has further solidified its leadership role in the police reform process in Nigeria. In collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, UNDP reconfigured a new Police Reform Secretariat to strengthen the Presidential Committee on Police Reform, reinforcing the government's leadership of the reform process.

UNDP supported the Police Service Commission to develop and implement its strategic plan for 2024-2025. UNDP’s guidance and resources will enable the Commission to oversee police actions and promote public trust in the police service. 

UNDP supported the development of a training guide and trained approximately 1,200 police trainers (including 253 women) on human rights, gender, mediation and other areas.

Nigeria became Africa's third country to develop a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.

In Nigeria, UNDP, in close collaboration with the Global Security Sector Reform Foundation (GS-F), a German non-governmental organisation, and under the leadership of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), continued to implement a project on strengthening police reform. The financial support of UNDP’s Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development (the Global Programme) was a crucial complement to the funding from the German Federal Foreign Ministry, which has been a steadfast supporter of police reform in Nigeria since December 2021.

Building on significant strides made in 2022, UNDP has further solidified its leadership role in the police reform process in Nigeria. This was marked by the signing of a tripartite agreement with ONSA and the German Embassy, a testament to the commitment of the Federal Government to reforming the police. This landmark agreement not only underscored the dedication of all parties involved in the police reform in Nigeria but also established UNDP as the Federal Government's partner of choice in this transformative journey.

In collaboration with ONSA, UNDP reconfigured a new Police Reform Secretariat to strengthen the Presidential Committee on Police Reform, reinforcing the government's leadership of the reform process. Once established, the Police Reform Secretariat will drive and coordinate the reform process, serving as a platform for collective action and information dissemination.

UNDP provided technical and advisory support to strengthen the policy framework of the Nigeria Police Force. This included working with the Police Service Commission, the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Police to develop and validate the regulations for the 2020 Police Act. These regulations will enable the implementation of the Police Act, ensuring the transparent, safe and accountable delivery of law enforcement services to people in Nigeria.  

To enhance civilian oversight of the Nigerian Police Force, UNDP supported  the Police Service Commission to develop and implement its strategic plan for 2024-2025. UNDP’s offer of strategic guidance and resources will enable the Commission to oversee police actions and to promote public trust in the police service. 

Further to the police oversight mechanism, UNDP provided technical and advisory support to create a database for the Police Reform Commission. This initiative addresses the data and statistical challenges faced by the Nigeria Police Force including the accuracy and security of data. 

In collaboration with the NPF’s Department of Training and Development and the National Institute of Police Service, UNDP supported the development of a training guide and trained approximately 1,200 police trainers (including 253 women) on human rights, gender, mediation and other areas. In addition, six training facilities were refurbished. Due to UNDP’s comprehensive support, the training has been transformed into a more dynamic experience that meets the needs of the NPF.

To ensure national ownership of the police reform, UNDP held two consultations with 120 Commissioners of Police Divisions and Commandants of the police training institutions. A plan of action was developed detailing actions required of the Commissioners and Commandants in furthering the reform process. 

Through a communications campaign led by UNDP, 4,500 people became more informed about the police reform process. With UNDP’s support, the NPF distributed 4,200 copies of the 2020 Police Act, 2,000 copies of the Police Reform Roadmap, and over 4,000 copies of the frequently asked questions (FAQ) sheets on the reform process in four languages. To further broaden the outreach, UNDP coordinated a two-day roundtable with the key stakeholders in the police reform process to align actions and to agree on the monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) approach to measuring the impact of the reform spearheaded by the Police Reform and Transformation Office (PORTO). 

Following the assessment of police training colleges, UNDP coordinated the renovations and equipped the training facilities of the Central Planning Training Unit (CPTU) in Jos. In addition, PORTO initiated discussions with the Police Trust Fund to facilitate rehabilitation of the police training schools. As a result, facilities were rehabilitated in training schools in Maiduguri and Enugu, where UNDP provided learning materials. Additionally, UNDP supported legislative developments in the House of Assembly to grant the colleges a legal identity that would ensure budget allocations to maintain their functionality. 

UNDP secured funding from the German Federal Foreign Ministry to acquire 250 military-grade tents and mobile field-deployment equipment. The provision of this equipment enhanced the NPF’s ability to deploy to conflict hotspots swiftly and contributed to boosting the morale of police officers.

To ensure that human rights are respected and upheld within the NPF, UNDP partnered with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to provide training for 40 police legal officers  (including seven women). The training aimed to integrate human rights considerations into policing procedures, in line with section 66 of the Police Act. This section mandates that legal officers act as human rights focal points within the NPF at both the command and divisional levels. 

GENDER EQUALITY

UNDP continued collaborating with UN Women to further advocate for the adoption of the Gender Policy for the Nigerian police. While the policy was publicly validated by the NPF senior management, it needs to be officially approved and adopted. The policy is set to have a substantial impact on gender equality within the police, ensuring equal access to opportunities, resources and rights for women, men and other gender identities in the Nigeria Police Force.

Additionally, UNDP enhanced the leadership capacity of 60 mid-ranked women police officers with a focus on inclusivity and gender equality. The training adopted 360-degree feedback mechanisms for a holistic evaluation of leadership effectiveness. 

In agreement with the NPF, UNDP is working towards identifying and prioritising women officers for leadership positions. In 2023, five women were promoted to senior ranks, representing a significant shift from previous practices. Only eight percent of the Nigerian police staff are women, with the majority in junior clerical posts. UNDP plans to transform this situation by supporting a change management process and organising training sessions targeting women police officers at all ranks of the NPF.

BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

In 2023, Nigeria achieved a significant milestone, becoming Africa's third country to develop a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP). UNDP partnered with the NHRC to support a high-level engagement that brought together national and international actors, including government and non-governmental organisations, active on business and human rights (B+HR) in Nigeria. The engagement culminated in the inauguration of the National Working Group on B+HR that will pursue policy development, engage in advocacy and capacity building. UNDP Nigeria also provided financial support to the NHRI to set up a secretariat for the working group, developed a protocol for the secretariat and printed limited copies of the NAP. In addition, in partnership with the NHRI and other stakeholders, UNDP crafted a concept note to operationalise the NAP.