The Police Service Commission (PSC) has revealed 616,873 applicants registered for the available 50,000 constable recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) with Adamawa State recording the highest number of applications.
On 26th November, President Bola Tinubu directed the police to recruit 20,000 new officers, bringing the total planned intake to 50,000.
Addressing reporters at the PSC headquarters in Abuja, the Chairman of the PSC Standing Committee on Police Matters, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Taiwo Lakanu, stated that the commission received a total of 616,873 applications before the recruitment portal closed on February 8, 2026, following an eight-week period that began on December 15, 2025.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the recruitment of 50,000 additional personnel into the Nigeria Police Force, describing the directive as a bold step towards strengthening internal security and enhancing the operational capacity of the Force.
Lakanu assured Nigerians that the ongoing recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force is transparent, merit-driven and inclusive.
Giving a breakdown of the applicants, Lakanu disclosed that a total of 616,873 applications were received, comprising 348,974 general duty applicants and 85,630 specialist applicants.
His words:, “Let me begin by expressing our profound gratitude to His Excellency, the President and Commander in Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his visionary directive approving the recruitment of fifty thousand (50,000) additional personnel into the Nigeria Police Force.
“This bold decision clearly reflects this administration’s commitment to strengthening internal security and addressing the nation’s security challenges. This injection of manpower will significantly enhance the Force’s operational capacity and reinforce the nation’s security architecture.
“I also wish to commend the Police Force. The synergy and cordial working relationship between the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission throughout this recruitment process has been exemplary. This spirit of inter-agency cooperation is critical to nation-building, and we remain committed to sustaining it. May I also extend our appreciation to other stakeholders, notably, teams from the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Federal Character Agency. Their contributions have been exemplary.”
Below is a further analyses of the recruitment statistics, breaking down the thousands of applications by state and gender, while providing a detailed overview of the candidates who successfully qualified for the physical screening scheduled for March 9th and those disqualified.
Qualification
Of the total submissions, 434,604 applicants were qualified for further screening, while 121,596 were unqualified, and 60,673 entries were invalid.
State with highest applicants
1. Adamawa State – 38,989
2. Benue State – 34,511
3. Kaduna State – 30,397
4. Borno State – 24,009
State with lowest applicants
1. Ebonyi State – 1,667
2. Anambra State – 1,739
3. Bayelsa State – 2,430
4. Lagos State – 2,448
Gender statistics
Gender
In terms of gender distribution, Lakanu said 442,592 male and 114,640 female applicants applied, noting that the figures reflect sustained interest among Nigerian youths in policing as a career.
Addressing disparities in state participation, he revealed that the Commission observed wide variations in application numbers across states at the early stages of the exercise.
Following consultations with the Nigeria Police Force and other stakeholders, the Commission approved a two-week extension to allow states with low turnout to intensify mobilisation efforts.
He said the intervention produced positive results.
