NEC approves N100bn for security training institutions, backs N185bn payment to gas producers

The National Economic Council (NEC) has approved the release of N100 billion for the comprehensive rehabilitation of training institutions for the police and other security agencies across Nigeria.

The approval, which is subject to final ratification by President Bola Tinubu, was part of the major resolutions reached at the 154th NEC meeting held virtually on Wednesday.

The decision follows the submission of a report by an ad-hoc committee led by the Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, which was constituted to assess the state of security training facilities.

In his presentation to the Council, Governor Mbah underscored the urgency of the intervention, describing the current state of most training institutions as being in "dire condition."

In addition to the N100 billion capital fund, the Council approved N2.6 billion to cover consultancy services for the project. The move aligns with President Tinubu’s proposal at the 152nd NEC meeting in October, where he called for a total overhaul of the security training architecture to improve the capacity and welfare of personnel.

Presiding over the meeting, Vice President Kashim Shettima charged the governors of the 36 states to ensure that the ongoing economic reforms translate into tangible results for citizens.

He cautioned against a style of governance defined by rhetoric, urging leaders to focus on execution that impacts markets, schools, and clinics.

Shettima noted that the task of the administration is "not to admire problems, but to solve them," and to engineer progress rather than merely hope for it.

On the energy front, the Council concurred with President Tinubu’s directive to settle outstanding obligations to gas producers to the tune of N185 billion.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, informed the Council that while gas producers have cumulative debt claims of $1 billion dating back to supplies made to the power sector in 2011, the N185 billion represents the validated naira-denominated debt.

The payment is expected to be executed through future oil and gas royalty deductions. The Council noted that clearing these debts is critical to encouraging gas producers to increase supply for domestic consumption, a vital step for stabilizing the national power grid.

Providing an update on public health, the Governor of Gombe State reported significant progress in the fight against polio.

The Council noted a 39 percent reduction in circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVPV2) cases in 2025 compared to the previous year. High-burden states recorded massive drops in cases, with Kano seeing a 94 percent decline and Katsina an 88 percent decline. However, following new detections in states like Gombe and Kebbi, the Council resolved to launch a critical vaccination campaign this December across northern states to close remaining immunity gaps before the year ends.

The Accountant-General of the Federation also briefed the Council on the nation’s accounts as of November 2025. The Excess Crude Account (ECA) currently stands at $525,823.39, while the Stabilization Account and the Natural Resources Development Account hold balances of N71.6 billion and N79.2 billion, respectively.