Odita Sunday 
Police Reforms: UNDP Backs Implementation of Nigeria Police Regulations 2026
By Odita Sunday
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has described the launch of the Nigeria Police Regulations (Amendment) 2026 as a major milestone in the country’s efforts to build a modern, professional, and people-centred police service.
Speaking at the official handover and launch held in Abuja, the Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), Varsha Redkar-Palepu, said the new regulations would strengthen professionalism, accountability, and public trust in policing.
According to her, the regulations provide the operational framework required to fully implement the Nigeria Police Act 2020, while modernising governance structures, reinforcing disciplinary systems, and promoting human rights and gender-responsive policing.
“They establish clearer standards for training, professionalism, and service delivery—key pillars for a police service that earns and sustains public confidence,” she stated.
Redkar-Palepu noted that the reforms also introduce structured delegation of authority across policing levels, enabling more effective responses to local security challenges while maintaining national oversight.
She commended the Inspector-General of Police, the Minister of Police Affairs, and the Police Service Commission for their roles in actualising the regulations, noting that UNDP’s technical support for the process began in 2023 under the late former PSC Chairman, Solomon Arase.
The UNDP official emphasised that implementation remains critical, stressing that laws only achieve impact when translated into practice through training, leadership, and accountability systems.
She disclosed that since 2021, UNDP, with support from the Federal Republic of Germany, has contributed to police reforms in Nigeria through training programmes, institutional strengthening, and improved community policing initiatives.
Redkar-Palepu reaffirmed UNDP’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in ensuring that the new regulations translate into tangible improvements in policing and public safety.
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