By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), the Nigeria chapter of Transparency International, has called on the National Assembly to increase the proposed women’s recruitment quota in the Nigeria Police Act (Amendment) Bill from 15 percent to a minimum of 30 percent, in line with African Union (AU) and ECOWAS standards for gender inclusion in security governance.
CISLAC noted that the National Policy on Women, adopted in 2000, already recommends that 30 percent of appointments be reserved for women, a benchmark it says should guide reform of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Speaking at a Public Hearing organised by the House Committee on Police Affairs on Monday, 17 November 2025, CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, represented by Senior Programme Officer Gimba Suleiman Hassan, Esq., stressed the urgent need for stronger female representation in the police.
In its submission, CISLAC pointed out that women currently make up less than 11 percent of the NPF—far below regional and international standards.
The organisation described a 30 percent benchmark as both globally recognised and necessary to correct decades of structural exclusion.
The call received broad support from stakeholders at the hearing, with several committee members expressing readiness to consider a compromise starting point of 20 percent. CISLAC commended the committee’s openness but encouraged lawmakers to adopt more ambitious and progressive reforms.
During the proceedings, the Head of the Legal Unit at the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs, Mr. Okorie Kalu, announced that the Ministry is developing new Police Regulations aimed at eliminating longstanding discriminatory practices.
The proposed regulations will abolish marital and pregnancy restrictions, end gender-based duty assignments, and remove gender-specific dress codes—reforms that CISLAC and other advocates have championed for years.
As part of its wider recommendations, CISLAC also called for:
Phasing out analogue record-keeping across the Police Force
Establishing a digital, unified and permanent record system for crimes, especially those related to gender-based violence (GBV) and human rights violations
Mandatory documentation of investigative outcomes in accessible formats
Creation of a Gender and Inclusion Compliance Directorate with statutory powers to monitor recruitment, training, postings, promotions and discipline
Compulsory gender-responsive budgeting across all police units
Annual gender audits and public reporting to enhance transparency and accountability
CISLAC emphasised that modern policing in a 21st-century democracy cannot be anchored on outdated, analogue or discriminatory frameworks.
It argued that a digitised and gender-responsive police system will improve professionalism, strengthen public trust, and enhance Nigeria’s capacity to prevent and prosecute GBV, human rights abuses and corruption-related offences.
The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the National Assembly in shaping a more inclusive, transparent and rights-based Police Force that meets global best practices and responds effectively to Nigeria’s complex security needs.
