A bill aiming to raise the retirement age of Nigeria Police Force (NPF) members has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.

The bill, sponsored by House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Abubakar Yalleman from Jigawa, proposes increasing the retirement age of NPF members from 60 to 65, and their service years from 35 to 40.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend section 18 of the Nigeria Police Act 2020.

It also aims to review police personnel’s service years to “enhance the experience and expertise of the police workforce, retain seasoned personnel, reduce training and recruitment costs, boost morale, performance, and job satisfaction, and address the shortage of experienced officers.”

During the lead debate on Tuesday, Yalleman, chair of the House committee on police, stressed the need to retain the expertise of officers “who have been trained and have served for many years.”

“This experience is crucial, especially during this period of insecurity, when seasoned police officers are essential to combating crime in the country,” he said.

In October 2023, a similar bill proposing to raise the retirement age of armed forces members from 60 to 65, and their service years from 35 to 40, also passed its second reading in the House.