The Nigeria Police Force has renewed and strengthened its partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) in a bid to expand access to affordable and sustainable housing for police personnel across the country.
The renewed commitment was underscored during a courtesy visit by the Managing Director of FMBN, Mr. Shehu Usman Osidi, to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, where he met with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun. The meeting focused on deepening institutional collaboration to address the longstanding housing deficit affecting serving and retired police officers.
Speaking during the engagement, the IGP described decent housing as a critical component of police welfare and operational effectiveness. He noted that officers are often deployed across the country under demanding and high-risk conditions, making access to stable and affordable accommodation essential to morale, professionalism, and productivity.
According to Egbetokun, welfare remains a central pillar of his leadership agenda, with housing ranked among the most pressing needs within the Force. He stressed that improving living conditions for officers would not only enhance their quality of life but also strengthen discipline, commitment, and service delivery.
“Police officers are expected to give their best at all times, often at great personal risk. Ensuring that they and their families have access to decent housing is not a privilege but a necessity,” the IGP said.
He commended the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria for its sustained engagement with the Force over the years and expressed optimism that a more streamlined and responsive partnership would translate into tangible benefits for personnel nationwide.
In his remarks, Osidi described the Nigeria Police Force as one of FMBN’s most important institutional partners, noting that the welfare of security personnel aligns with the bank’s broader mandate of expanding homeownership among Nigerians, particularly public sector workers.
He said the visit was aimed at reinforcing collaboration, reviewing existing housing and mortgage arrangements, and identifying practical ways to remove administrative and procedural bottlenecks that have limited access to mortgage facilities for police personnel in the past.
Osidi emphasised that FMBN remains committed to developing housing products and financing solutions tailored to the unique needs of police officers, including flexible repayment structures and long-term mortgage options.
“Our goal is to ensure that police personnel can access housing finance with ease and dignity. We believe that with stronger cooperation and improved processes, more officers will benefit from the National Housing Fund and other mortgage schemes,” he said.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, described the meeting as timely and strategic, noting that it marked a renewed phase of cooperation between the two institutions. According to the statement, both parties acknowledged the challenges that have historically constrained housing access for police personnel and agreed on the need for coordinated reforms.
The partnership is expected to focus on improving awareness among officers about available mortgage opportunities, simplifying documentation requirements, and enhancing institutional coordination to speed up approvals and disbursements.
Beyond active service personnel, discussions also covered housing security for retired officers, with both institutions recognising the importance of post-service welfare in sustaining morale and institutional integrity within the Force.
The renewed engagement comes amid growing national conversations around security sector reform, welfare, and accountability. Analysts have repeatedly linked poor living conditions for security personnel to low morale and broader systemic challenges within law enforcement agencies.
By prioritising housing as a welfare issue, the Police leadership signalled a shift toward more sustainable, long-term solutions rather than ad-hoc interventions. Improved access to housing, officials say, could reduce financial stress among officers and allow them to focus more effectively on their core responsibility of protecting lives and property.
The Nigeria Police Force reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing strategic partnerships that promote the dignity and well-being of its personnel, noting that collaboration with institutions such as FMBN remains vital to achieving these objectives.
As both parties move to translate commitments into concrete outcomes, expectations remain high among officers that the strengthened partnership will deliver measurable improvements in housing access and overall welfare in the months ahead.
