The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig Gen Buba Marwa (retd), has raised the alarm over the projected surge in drug use across Africa, warning of a looming crisis unless urgent and coordinated action is taken.
Citing global estimates that project a 10 to 11 per cent rise in drug use, Marwa noted that Africa is set to experience a much higher increase of up to 40 per cent.
According to a statement on Monday by the agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Marwa spoke while receiving a delegation from the African Union Commission at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja.
The AU team was on an assessment visit to evaluate the implementation of the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019–2025) and consult on a new framework for 2026–2030.
Marwa, however, called for proactive measures to address the matter.
‘There is the need for urgency to address the continent’s growing drug challenge. While global projections estimate a 10 to 11 per cent rise in drug use prevalence, Africa is expected to experience a surge of up to 40 per cent.
‘This disparity signals a looming crisis that demands coordinated and accelerated action. We deeply appreciate the AU’s leadership in this space and commend your proactive efforts’, he said.
He commended the AU Commission for its field-based approach to reviewing the plan, emphasising the importance of evidence-informed policymaking.
‘We are particularly pleased that the African Union is giving due weight to implementation by undertaking direct field consultations with national counterparts’, he added.
Earlier, the AU team lead, Dr Olubusayo Akinola, said the commission considered NDLEA’s input indispensable to the new action plan due to its strategic role in law enforcement across the continent.
‘You are at the forefront when it comes to drug control in Africa’, she said.
The AU delegation also lauded the NDLEA for its consistent contribution of critical data, which has shaped continental drug policy in recent years.
The team expressed interest in strengthening technical cooperation with Nigeria in areas such as forensic science, drug epidemiology, canine detection units, and capacity building.
