The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Transparency International–Nigeria, has asked the National Assembly to raise the proposed women’s recruitment quota in the Nigeria Police Act (Amendment) Bill from 15% to a minimum of 30%.
CISLAC said the adjustment aligns with African Union and ECOWAS benchmarks on gender inclusion and reflects Nigeria’s National Policy on Women, which recommends a 30% reservation for women in appointments.
Executive Director Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani made the call at a Public Hearing organized by the House Committee on Police Affairs on Monday, 17 November 2025, represented by Senior Programme Officer Gimba Suleiman Hassan, Esq.
He noted that women currently constitute less than 11% of the Nigeria Police Force—far below regional and international standards. Stakeholders at the hearing welcomed the proposal, with some lawmakers indicating readiness to consider a 20% benchmark as a starting point.
The Federal Ministry of Police Affairs also announced ongoing development of new Police Regulations that will eliminate marital and pregnancy restrictions, abolish gender-based duty assignments, and end gendered dress codes.
CISLAC further recommended phasing out analogue record-keeping, establishing a unified digital crime database—especially for gender-based violence—mandatory documentation of investigative outcomes, creation of a Gender and Inclusion Compliance Directorate, gender-responsive budgeting, and annual gender audits.
The organization said modern policing requires digitized, inclusive, and non-discriminatory systems to strengthen professionalism, accountability, and public trust.
