Police Service Commission Holds Promotion Exams for Over 400 Senior Officers

The Police Service Commission (PSC) yesterday conducted promotion examinations for more than 400 senior police officers, marking another step in its effort to reposition the Nigeria Police Force as a modern, efficient, and professional institution. The exercise involved both written examinations and interviews, designed to ensure that promotions within the force are based on merit, competence, and integrity rather than favoritism.

According to a statement issued in Abuja by the Head of Press and Public Relations of the PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, 56 Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs) were recommended for promotion to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACP), while 451 Superintendents of Police (SPs) were recommended for elevation to Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs).

The statement added that Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) were scheduled to appear before the Commission today to participate in their own promotion examinations.

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Ensuring Merit-Based Promotions

Ani stressed that the Commission has resolved to make written promotion examinations a permanent requirement for advancement in the police hierarchy. This new policy, he explained, aims to guarantee that officers are mentally and professionally equipped to meet the challenges of policing in the 21st century.

“The Commission has decided to henceforth take promotion examination as an indispensable condition for promotion in the Police to ensure that police officers are mentally equipped to face challenges of 21st-century policing. This is also to ensure that merit, competence, and character count,” Ani said.

The statement emphasized that promotions will no longer be regarded as routine exercises but as opportunities to reward excellence, strengthen leadership, and deepen professionalism within the police service.

Oversight and Supervision of the Exams

The promotion examinations were conducted under the close supervision of senior members of the PSC. Among those present were Justice Paul Galumje, the commissioner representing the judiciary; DIG Taiwo Lekanu, commissioner representing the police and chair of the Standing Committee on Police Affairs, who presided over the session; and other senior officials of the Commission.

The involvement of both judicial and police representatives underscored the importance of transparency and fairness in the process. The PSC stated that the multi-stakeholder oversight was designed to ensure credibility and prevent any compromise of standards.

Building a Professional and Dynamic Police Force

The Commission’s Chairman, retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Hashimu Argungu, has been a strong advocate of reforming the Nigeria Police Force into a more dynamic and efficient institution. He has repeatedly emphasized that the PSC’s ultimate goal is to build a police force that is capable of protecting life and property while maintaining public trust and effectively combating crime.

DIG Argungu noted that the Commission would not relent in pushing for reforms that strengthen accountability, efficiency, and professionalism in the force.

“The Commission will not rest until this is achieved and believes it is on the right track to its achievement. Nigerians are urged to continue to support the police as an encouragement for them to rededicate themselves to the service of their fatherland,” Ani quoted Argungu as saying.

Reform Context: Responding to Modern Security Challenges

Nigeria continues to face complex security challenges ranging from insurgency and banditry to kidnapping, cybercrime, and urban violence. In this context, the PSC believes that promotion based strictly on seniority without consideration of merit and mental preparedness would no longer suffice.

The Commission’s insistence on rigorous written and oral examinations for promotion is therefore part of a broader strategy to ensure that police officers are adequately trained and tested to handle the evolving demands of law enforcement in a rapidly changing world.

According to the PSC, introducing mandatory promotion exams will instill discipline, encourage continuous learning, and create a leadership pipeline filled with capable officers ready to take on greater responsibilities.

Rebuilding Public Confidence

The Nigeria Police Force has often been criticized for inefficiency, corruption, and lack of professionalism. The PSC’s reform efforts, particularly the insistence on promotion examinations, are also aimed at rebuilding public trust. By making promotions contingent on performance and competence, the Commission hopes to show Nigerians that the police are serious about reforming from within.

Public confidence in the police remains essential for effective law enforcement. A motivated and professional police force, trusted by the people, is considered critical to ensuring security and stability across the country.

The Police Service Commission’s decision to conduct promotion examinations for over 400 senior officers is a bold step toward institutional reform. With 56 CSPs on track for promotion to ACPs and 451 SPs lined up to become CSPs, the initiative represents both an opportunity and a test of Nigeria’s commitment to building a professional police service.

By making promotion exams an “indispensable condition” for career progression, the PSC has signaled a shift toward meritocracy, accountability, and competence. This approach, coupled with the leadership of DIG Hashimu Argungu and the oversight of diverse stakeholders, is designed to ensure transparency and fairness in the process.

For Nigerians, the hope is that these reforms will translate into a more responsive, disciplined, and trustworthy police force—one equipped to meet the security challenges of today and the future. The success of this initiative will depend not only on the integrity of the PSC’s processes but also on the continued support of the Nigerian public for a reformed and professional police system.