Nigerian Police Ranks, Salary Structure (₦938K Max) & Entry Points (2026)

The Nigeria Police Force is currently led by Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Rilwan Disu, who took office on February 24, 2026, succeeding Kayode Egbetokun.

Source note: Police pay is governed by the Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), administered through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC). In September 2024, the Federal Government approved a consequential revision to CONPOSS under the NSIWC Amendment Act 2024, tied to the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024. Some figures currently circulating (including in this guide) reflect the base CONPOSS scale; a small number of more recent reports cite higher post-revision figures — see the note directly below for how to tell them apart.

There is often confusion around Nigerian Police Force pay because different sources report very different numbers for the same rank — you may see Constable pay listed anywhere from ₦43,000 to ₦88,000, and IGP pay listed anywhere from ₦938,578 to over ₦1.2 million. That’s addressed directly below, before the full tables.

1. Why Reported Figures Differ

Before the tables — if you’ve seen conflicting numbers for the same rank elsewhere, it’s not necessarily an error on either side. Three things drive the gap:

• Basic Salary vs. total take-home pay. The figures in this guide are CONPOSS Basic Salary only. Reports quoting ₦80,000+ for a Constable are typically including allowances (transport, hazard, uniform, etc.) on top of the base figure.
• Pre- vs. post-2024-revision figures. In September 2024, the NSIWC approved a consequential adjustment to CONPOSS as part of a wider review covering the police, paramilitary, and armed forces salary structures, following the national minimum wage increase. Some sources still quote the pre-revision base scale (the figures in the tables below); others quote post-revision figures, which run notably higher — for example, some 2026 reports put Constable Basic Salary closer to ₦48,000 and IGP Basic Salary above ₦1.2 million.
• A naming mix-up in circulation. Many articles, including earlier versions of this one, refer to the police pay scale as “CONPASS.” That’s incorrect — CONPASS is the Consolidated Paramilitary Salary Structure, used by agencies like the NSCDC. The Nigeria Police Force is paid under CONPOSS, the Consolidated Police Salary Structure. The two are separate structures administered under the same NSIWC framework, which is likely the source of the confusion.

Because publicly available reporting on the exact post-2024-revision Constable and IGP figures is inconsistent, we’ve kept the tables below at the base CONPOSS scale, which is the most consistently reported set across primary-adjacent sources. If your posting’s payslip differs from these figures, the difference is most likely the post-2024 revision or duty-specific allowances — confirm directly with the Police Service Commission (PSC) or your Command’s finance office for your exact current entitlement.

2. NPF Rank Hierarchy (From Top to Bottom)

The NPF structure is divided into three distinct levels:

• Superior Police Officers (Commissioned)
• Inspectors (Intermediate)
• Rank and File (Non-Commissioned)

Superior Police Officers (Commissioned)

These ranks are political and managerial appointments, often requiring higher educational qualifications for entry.

1. Inspector General of Police (IGP) — Highest Rank
2. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
3. Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG)
4. Commissioner of Police (CP)
5. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)
6. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP)
7. Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP)
8. Superintendent of Police (SP)
9. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
10. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) — Lowest Commissioned Rank

Rank and File (Non-Commissioned)

These ranks are typically the starting point for SSCE holders and form the majority of the field police workforce.

1. Inspector of Police
2. Sergeant Major
3. Sergeant
4. Corporal
5. Police Constable
6. Police Recruit (During Training)

3. Detailed Police Salary Structure (Basic Monthly Pay)

Below are the Basic Monthly Salary figures under the base CONPOSS scale, showing entry-level (Step 1) and maximum (Step 10+) salaries. See Section 1 for how post-2024-revision figures may differ.

Table 1: Commissioned Officer Salaries (Monthly Basic)

Rank	Grade Level (GL)	Lowest Monthly (₦)	Highest Monthly (₦)
IGP	–	938,578	938,578
DIG	–	854,272	854,272
AIG	–	527,387	527,387
CP	GL 15	266,777	302,970
DCP	GL 14	242,715	278,852
ACP	GL 13	183,185	212,938
CSP	GL 12	172,089	199,723
SP	GL 11	161,478	187,616
DSP	GL 10	148,733	170,399
ASP	GL 08/09	127,604	156,318

Table 2: Non-Commissioned Officer Salaries (Monthly Basic)

Rank	Grade Level (GL)	Lowest Monthly (₦)	Highest Monthly (₦)
Cadet Inspector	GL 07	73,231	87,135
Sergeant Major	GL 06	55,144	62,204
Sergeant	GL 05	48,540	55,973
Corporal	GL 04	44,715	51,113
Police Constable	GL 03	43,293	43,293
Police Recruit (Training)	–	9,019	9,019

4. Total Earnings: Salary vs. Allowances

CONPOSS Basic Salary is only part of an officer’s take-home pay. Under CONPOSS, several allowances are consolidated directly into the basic salary figure — meaning the table figures above already reflect them, rather than these being paid separately on top:

• Transport allowance
• Meal subsidy
• Utility allowance
• Hazard allowance
• House maintenance allowance
• Uniform maintenance allowance
• General services allowance
• Torchlight allowance
• Detective allowance
• Hardiness allowance
• Plain clothes allowance
• Furniture allowance
• Personal servant allowance (for entitled senior officers)

Rent Allowance is the one major exception — it is not consolidated into Basic Salary and is paid separately, only to officers who are not provided with government-furnished accommodation. This is a key reason take-home pay can vary significantly between two officers of the same rank: one housed in a barracks and one who is not.

A Note on Recruit Pay

The ₦9,019 shown for Police Recruits is a training allowance, not a final salary — some more recent reports cite a slightly higher recruit stipend (around ₦10,000–₦10,114), consistent with the 2024 revision discussed in Section 1. After graduation, Recruits begin earning the Police Constable Basic Salary (₦43,293) plus applicable allowances.

5. NPF Entry Points and Starting Ranks

Entry Point / Rank	Minimum Qualification	Age Limit
Police Constable (Recruit)	SSCE/NECO/GCE (5 credits incl. Maths & English)	18–25 years
Cadet Inspector	OND, NCE, or A’ Level	18–28 years
Cadet ASP	BSc, BA, or HND (Min. Second Class Lower/Upper Credit)	19–30 years

Candidates for Cadet ASP must have an NYSC Discharge Certificate or a valid Exemption Letter.

6. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Are police salaries tied to the minimum wage? Not directly — NPF salaries follow the CONPOSS structure, which is separate from and generally higher than the general civil service scale. However, the 2024 national minimum wage increase triggered a consequential upward revision to CONPOSS itself, which is one reason current figures vary across sources (see Section 1).

Q2: What rank can a university graduate start with? A graduate enters as a Cadet ASP and becomes an ASP after training.

Q3: Do salaries vary by location or hazard level? Basic Salary is constant nationwide. Rent Allowance — the one major allowance not consolidated into Basic Salary — does vary based on whether an officer is provided government accommodation, which in practice correlates with posting and location.

Q4: How long does it take to move from Constable to Sergeant? Typically 5–8 years overall, though the step from Constable to Corporal alone can happen in as little as 3 years for strong performers. Promotion at each stage depends on three factors: performance evaluations, passing the internal promotion exam for that rank threshold, and vacancy availability at the next grade level within the officer’s Command — so two officers with identical service length can be promoted at different times.

Conclusion: Your Path to a Career in the NPF

The Nigerian Police Force offers a structured career path through the CONPOSS salary system, administered by the NSIWC. Basic salaries range from ₦9,019 for Recruits to ₦938,578 for the IGP under the base scale, with a 2024 consequential revision pushing some current figures higher, and allowances adding further to total compensation at every level. Whether you enter as a Police Constable with an SSCE or as a Cadet ASP with a university degree, the NPF provides a defined path for advancement based on merit, discipline, and service.

Figures in this guide reflect the base CONPOSS scale as most consistently reported across sources as of August 2026. For your exact current entitlement, confirm with the Police Service Commission (psc.gov.ng) or your Command’s finance office, particularly if your posting reflects the 2024 revision.