Nigeria anti-drug plan receives backing from the EU, UNODC and ECOWAS as NDLEA launches new strategy talks

International partners including the European Union, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and Economic Community of West African States have pledged support for Nigeria’s renewed efforts to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking over the next five years.

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The assurance was given on Monday during the opening session of a two-day National Drug Control Master Plan Consultative Forum organised by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Zissimos Vergos, described drug trafficking as a transnational threat requiring coordinated international action.

“Our presence here today is that of partners who have walked this uphill and rough road ourselves,” Vergos said.

“What affects the youth of Maiduguri or the streets of Ibadan does not stay within Nigerian borders. Drug trafficking is a transnational challenge, and the master plan laid before this forum is Nigeria’s contribution to a transnational response.”

Vergos said the European Union was committed to supporting Nigeria’s efforts, stressing that the stability of Nigeria and the security of Europe were closely connected.

The Nigeria anti-drug plan seeks to address rising concerns over drug abuse, organised crime and the increasing sophistication of trafficking networks across West Africa.

In his remarks, the UNODC Country Representative, Chiekh Ousmane Touré, warned that the global drug landscape was rapidly evolving with the rise of synthetic substances and digitalised trafficking operations.

“Nigeria stands at the intersection of this,” Touré said, adding that the new strategy must be comprehensive, data-driven and adaptable to emerging threats.

He assured Nigeria of continued UNODC support in strengthening law enforcement capacity, drug demand reduction, prevention programmes and international cooperation.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa, said Africa could witness a 40 per cent rise in drug use by 2030 if urgent measures were not taken.

Marwa cited projections by the UNODC and reports from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime indicating that West Africa remains a major corridor for cocaine trafficking between Latin America and Europe.

“Our drug landscape is becoming increasingly complex as we battle the surge of synthetic substances and prescription drug abuse, the rise of poly-drug use and new psychoactive substances, and the digitalisation of the drug trade,” he stated.

According to Marwa, the consultative forum is expected to finalise the Zero Draft of the National Drug Control Master Plan 2026–2030, which will guide Nigeria’s anti-drug strategy for the next half-decade.

He explained that the proposed plan introduces new pillars focused on alternative development, sustainable livelihoods and the use of financial intelligence to disrupt illicit drug networks.

“As Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, Nigeria cannot afford to be a passive observer. The risks to our youth, workforce and national security are too high,” Marwa added.

Also speaking, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Daniel Amankwaah, described Nigeria’s master plan as crucial to regional anti-drug strategies across member states.

Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad, commended the NDLEA for its proactive role in advocacy, enforcement and rehabilitation, urging stakeholders to adopt a holistic approach that combines education, healthcare, law enforcement and community engagement.

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Other speakers at the event included representatives of the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics and the National Orientation Agency, who also reiterated support for stronger collaboration in addressing substance abuse and illicit trafficking nationwide.