Governors Intensify Push For State Police, Renew Commitment To Food Security

June 18 () — Governors under the umbrella of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have intensified efforts to advance the establishment of state police across the country, insisting that any framework for decentralised policing must be constitutionally grounded and consistent with federal principles and the protection of citizens’ rights.

The governors also reaffirmed commitments to strengthening food security, tackling child malnutrition, and expanding electricity access through new partnerships and policy initiatives to improve living conditions across the federation.

In a communique signed at the end of its meeting held on Wednesday by the Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the governors said discussions focused on deepening collaboration between state governments and national institutions to drive better outcomes for Nigerians.

On the issue of state police, the governors stressed that any move toward decentralised policing must be supported by strong constitutional safeguards to ensure accountability and prevent abuse.

“Governors emphasised the need for the State Police to be constitutionally sound and aligned with federalism and citizens’ rights”, the communique stated.

The forum disclosed that it held extensive consultations with Attorneys-General across the states to review proposed constitutional amendments and develop a common legal position ahead of possible reforms.

According to AbdulRazaq, the consultations are expected to strengthen the collective position of states as national conversations on security restructuring continue.

Beyond security matters, the governors reviewed updates from the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning on the National Nutrition 774 (N-774) Initiative, a programme designed to combat child malnutrition nationwide.

The NGF reaffirmed its commitment to improving nutrition outcomes and urged relevant stakeholders to accelerate work on the proposed National Nutrition Bill to strengthen the legal framework supporting nutrition interventions.

The governors also endorsed continued collaboration with the World Bank on the proposed Country Partnership Framework for Nigeria covering 2026 to 2032, alongside support for the Nigeria Sustainable Agricultural Value-Chains for Growth (AGROW) programme.

The AGROW initiative is expected to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen food value chains, encourage greater private sector investment in agriculture, and improve food security nationwide while supporting early childhood development programmes.

The forum noted that participating states would benefit from targeted interventions under the programme and stressed the need for stronger coordination across critical sectors, including health, education, water and sanitation, nutrition, social protection, and family support services.

On electricity supply, the governors received a presentation on the proposed National Solar Super-Grid (NSSG) Initiative, a large-scale renewable energy programme aimed at expanding electricity access through decentralised solar power generation connected to a high-voltage national transmission network.

The governors said the initiative holds significant potential to drive industrialisation, strengthen energy security, and accelerate economic growth, particularly as Nigeria continues to implement reforms within the power sector.

“Governors reiterated their commitment to ongoing power sector reforms and to strengthening collaboration among stakeholders to expand access to reliable and affordable electricity for Nigerians”, the communique added.