| dc.description.abstract | The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has highlighted drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria as a growing public health and national security crisis, particularly during the inauguration of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Country Programme for Nigeria 2026–2030. The programme is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to address drug-related crimes, improve justice delivery, and enhance public health responses to substance use disorders. According to the NDLEA Chairman, drug trafficking fuels violent crime, money laundering and undermines national security, while drug dependence imposes significant social, economic, and developmental costs. Recent UNODC data indicates that over three million
Nigerians currently live with drug use disorders, with a national prevalence rate of 14.4%, nearly
three times the global average. Opioids, including tramadol and codeine-based products, and cannabis remain among the most commonly abused substances.
While the programme reflects a commitment to tackling drug abuse, several policy concerns
warrant attention. Nigeria’s public health response infrastructure is inadequate, with limited rehabilitation centres, addiction specialists, and community-based treatment programmes.
Enforcement efforts, though essential, remain over-emphasised, often at the expense of prevention, early intervention, and rehabilitation services. The absence of a comprehensive national drug surveillance system limits reliable data on prevalence, treatment outcomes, and emerging trends, hindering evidence-based policymaking. Socio-economic factors such as youth unemployment, poverty, and social marginalisation exacerbate vulnerability to drug abuse.
Furthermore, institutional coordination across health, education, social services, and justice sectors remains sub-optimal, reducing the effectiveness of multi-sectoral interventions.
Given its constitutional oversight responsibilities, the National Assembly has a critical role in
ensuring a balanced, evidence-based, and sustainable response to the drug crisis. Legislative
engagement is necessary to strengthen institutional capacity and support coordinated strategies that
address both enforcement and public health dimensions of drug abuse.
Accordingly, the National Assembly, through its Committees on Health, Drugs and Narcotics, and
National Security, may consider the following actions:
● Pass a resolution formally recognising drug abuse and substance use disorders as a public health priority requiring comprehensive interventions beyond enforcement.
● Mandate dedicated budgetary allocations for the establishment and upgrading of rehabilitation centres across all geopolitical zones, including the training and deployment of addiction specialists, counsellors, and psychosocial care workers.
● Require the Federal Ministry of Health and relevant agencies to implement nationwide prevention strategies targeting schools, universities, and high-risk communities, integrating
drug education, mental health literacy, and well-being curricula.
● Mandate the development of a national drug surveillance and monitoring system to provide
reliable, real-time data on prevalence, patterns, and treatment outcomes to inform policy and resource allocation.
● Encourage the establishment of a coordinated national strategy involving NDLEA, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, and other stakeholders to align enforcement, prevention, treatment, and social support services.
Drug abuse in Nigeria constitutes a complex public health and national security challenge, with far
reaching social and economic consequences. While enforcement remains necessary, a holistic, health-centred, and evidence-based approach is urgently needed. Sustained legislative oversight will be essential to ensure that national drug policies are effectively implemented, adequately funded, and capable of delivering measurable improvements in public health and societal well-being. | en_US |
