Olatunji Disu has said Nigeria’s existing security infrastructure is inadequate to effectively police the country’s population of more than 200 million people.
Speaking at the Infrastructure Dialogue 2026 in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police supported calls for a major expansion of police facilities across the country, revealing that the force currently operates only about 2,000 police stations nationwide.
“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.
Disu noted that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission had identified the need for an additional 3,000 police stations, 1,000 new prisons, and 170 barracks nationwide. He added that the shortage of infrastructure has contributed to several operational challenges, including deteriorating barracks and outdated facilities.
According to the police chief, Nigeria continues to face growing threats to critical infrastructure, including vandalism, sabotage, extortion, and disruptions caused by organised criminal groups.
“Our nation continues to confront threats to critical infrastructure—vandalism, sabotage, extortion, and disruptions by organised criminal networks,” Disu said, stressing that the police are responsible for creating “a stable, predictable environment in which legitimate enterprise can flourish.”
Reacting to the concerns raised by the police leadership, Abdullahi Sule acknowledged the seriousness of the infrastructure gap but argued that the problem goes beyond funding alone.
“When we begin to talk about infrastructure, what most people think of are bridges, power, schools and maybe water,” Sule said. “People don’t understand that infrastructure goes beyond that.”
Former Adamawa State governor Boni Haruna also weighed in on the issue, saying Nigeria’s infrastructure problems are worsened by a lack of confidence in the enforcement of contracts and legal agreements.
“When we want to win the confidence of investors, our courts and arbitration must be respected. Finally, Nigeria’s infrastructure gap is not a financing gap. It is a credibility gap,” Haruna stated.
