Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Police Service Commission has announced the timetable for its 2026 promotion examinations for senior police officers, scheduling the three-day exercise for Monday, September 28, to Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at state police commands and the Federal Capital Territory Command across the country.
According to the timetable released by the commission on its X handle on Sunday, the first examination, for officers seeking promotion from Superintendent of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police, will be held on Monday, September 28. Accreditation for the first day is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. to 10:50 a.m., while the examination will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. On Tuesday, September 29, officers undergoing the Deputy Superintendent of Police to Superintendent of Police promotion examination will be accredited between 8:00 a.m. and 10:50 a.m., with the examination scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The third day, Wednesday, September 30, is set aside for the Assistant Superintendent of Police to Deputy Superintendent of Police promotion examination. Accreditation will commence at 8:00 a.m. and end at 11:45 a.m., while the examination is scheduled from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. The commission urged participating officers to take note of their respective accreditation and examination periods as they prepare for the promotion exercise.
The directive was contained in a letter dated September 21, 2026, signed by Onyemuche Nnamani, Secretary to the Police Service Commission, and addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, with the attention of the Force Secretary. The letter, with reference number PSC/PROM/14316/I, was titled: "Recommendation for Promotion of SP to CSP, DSP to SP, and ASP to DSP." The commission said the decision followed a letter from the Nigeria Police Force with reference number SB:0025/FS/FHQ/ABJ/SUB/.6/49, dated September 10, 2026, concerning the recommendations for promotion of the affected officers. "In line with the Commission's policy of examination as a condition for promotion, it has scheduled examination for SP to CSP, DSP to SP and ASP to DSP as follows," the letter stated.
The commission explained that conducting the examinations at the state commands was intended to reduce the logistical difficulties that would arise from bringing the large number of recommended police officers to Abuja. "The above is to ease logistics and challenges associated with inviting the large number of recommended officers to Abuja," the commission said. The PSC subsequently directed the Nigeria Police Force to notify all affected officers and ensure that they report to the appropriate commands where they are currently serving. "Please inform the affected officers to report to the respective State Commands where they are serving," the commission directed.
The examination is a mandatory requirement for promotion in line with the commission's established policy, which makes written and oral assessments a prerequisite for career advancement in the Nigeria Police Force. The policy has been applied consistently in 2026. In June, the PSC declared 179 Assistant Superintendents of Police unfit for promotion after they failed the examination, while approving the elevation of 952 others who passed. The commission has framed the examination as a merit-based filter designed to restore professionalism and public confidence in the Force. In March, the PSC conducted a special resit for officers who missed earlier promotion examinations, demonstrating what it described as a commitment to fairness while maintaining the mandatory requirement.
The commission has also warned officers against attempting to bribe their way to promotion. In September, the PSC cautioned Inspectors due for promotion to the rank of unconfirmed ASP against financial inducement, stressing that the examination process would be conducted with zero tolerance for corruption. Officers found offering or accepting bribes in connection with promotion exercises face dismissal and prosecution. The commission has said the era of special promotions without examination is over, and that officers who fail the examination three times will be retired from service.
The policy reflects a broader shift in the Nigeria Police Force under Inspector-General Olatunji Disu, who has prioritised merit, accountability and institutional reform since assuming office in February 2026. The IGP has overseen the promotion of thousands of officers through what the Force describes as rigorous, transparent processes, while also dismissing personnel found guilty of misconduct. The PSC's insistence on examinations for ASPs and above is part of that push. For officers who have spent years in service expecting promotion by seniority, the new rule represents a significant adjustment. For the Force, it is a test of whether competence can replace patronage as the currency of career advancement.
The announcement of the timetable comes amid scrutiny of the promotion process in some commands. A police welfare group, Police Welfare NG, has called for a review of the Katsina State ASP promotion shortlist, claiming that 13 of the 24 officers shortlisted for the examination had already retired. The group said it received reports that the shortlisted officers included personnel who were no longer in service and questioned the accuracy of the list. The commission has not publicly responded to the allegation. The Katsina case is one of several that have raised questions about the integrity of the shortlisting process, even as the commission insists that the examination itself is the mechanism for ensuring that only qualified officers are promoted.
For the hundreds of officers scheduled to sit for the examinations, the coming days will be defined by preparation and logistics. Officers serving in remote locations will need to travel to their state commands, secure accommodation and ensure they arrive on time for accreditation. The commission has urged them to take note of their respective accreditation and examination periods. For the Force, the exercise represents another step in the effort to institutionalise merit-based promotion and restore public confidence in a service that has long been criticised for the politicisation of career advancement. As the PSC put it, the examination is a condition for promotion, and the era of special promotions without examination is over.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments