Pitch Award: Police Conference Funds Not Diverted, Says Organiser Shina Philips

Lenders Consult International Limited and its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Shina Philips, have strongly refuted allegations of diverting funds intended for the annual Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers. The company issued a statement in response to a report published on 3rd March 2026 by an online news platform, which claimed that funds for the Nigeria Police event had been misappropriated. Lenders Consult International described the allegations as “false” and criticised the report for omitting their perspective.

The firm, known for instituting and organising the long-running Nigeria Pitch Awards, clarified that its collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force began after it proposed an annual Conference and Retreat to support capacity building within the force. This initiative brings together police officers from the rank of Commissioner and above for peer review and discussion on policing and security challenges.

Lenders Consult International explained that its proposal, formally approved and operational since 2019, included an arrangement where the company would be responsible for securing sponsorship to fund the conference and retreat.

“Arising from our desire to support the Nigeria Police in their capacity-building efforts, we approached the police authorities with a proposal to organise an annual Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers… Our proposal included an obligation that, as initiators, Lenders Consult International would be responsible for approaching potential sponsors to fund the retreat. This arrangement was well-received and approved from the outset. This arrangement is official and has been in place since 2019.”

The inaugural conference was held in 2019, with the Lagos State Government as the host sponsor. Subsequent editions have taken place in Uyo (February 2022), Owerri (October 2022, 2023, 2024), and Abeokuta (2025).

The company unequivocally stated that it has “never, at any time, received any money by way of funding from the Nigerian Police for the sponsorship of the event.” They stressed that the conference is a private initiative supporting the Nigeria Police.

Lenders Consult International further highlighted its proposal for an annual Nigeria Police Awards and Commendations to recognise outstanding officers. Two editions of these awards, held in Abuja in 2024 and 2025, were fully sponsored by the company and its partners.

Dr. Philips, a FIFA-licensed football agent, has maintained a longstanding working relationship with senior police officers. He was appointed a consultant to the police in 2020 for Police Week 2020, which was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company confirmed that Philips has continued to support police initiatives without remuneration, even self-funding some official trips alongside the immediate past Inspector-General of Police.