The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), has announced that the forthcoming National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) 2026–2030 will usher in a decisive new phase in Nigeria’s campaign against illicit drugs, substance abuse and related criminal networks.
Speaking on Thursday at the agency’s national headquarters in Abuja while receiving the final summative evaluation report on the 2021–2025 master plan, Marwa described the review as both a performance scorecard and a strategic guide for future reforms.
He said the new five-year framework is designed to consolidate operational gains recorded in recent years while addressing critical gaps, particularly in prevention, treatment and rehabilitation.
“With the depth of preparation and seriousness attached to the 2026–2030 Master Plan, its execution will significantly strengthen our ongoing drug control efforts,” Marwa said, adding that full implementation would deliver measurable improvements in public health outcomes and reinforce national security.
According to him, Nigeria’s drug challenge remains closely linked to organised crime, insurgency financing and youth vulnerability, necessitating a coordinated and comprehensive response. He explained that the new master plan would integrate supply reduction strategies—such as seizures, arrests and dismantling trafficking syndicates—with demand reduction measures, including public education, counselling and community-based rehabilitation programmes.
Marwa commended the evaluation team led by Professor Ibrahim Wakama of the University of Maiduguri for what he described as a rigorous and objective assessment of the 2021–2025 framework. He noted that the review acknowledged successes under both the drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction pillars.
The NDLEA chief expressed confidence that under the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu, the agency would achieve further milestones in protecting communities from the impact of narcotics and psychotropic substances.
Earlier, Wakama said the evaluation indicated that the agency had exceeded several targets set under the outgoing plan, citing improvements in operational efficiency, inter-agency coordination and public awareness campaigns. While identifying areas requiring strengthening—particularly in drug demand reduction—he expressed optimism that the NDLEA would close the gaps through improved policy alignment, resource allocation and stakeholder collaboration under the new master plan.
Other members of the evaluation team included Mrs. Ngozi Oguejiofor and Mrs. Ibiba Odili, both retired Assistant Commanders General of Narcotics and former heads of the NDCMP secretariat.
The National Drug Control Master Plan serves as Nigeria’s central policy blueprint for combating drug trafficking and substance abuse, aligning enforcement operations with prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and multi-sectoral engagement. Stakeholders say the 2026–2030 framework could define the next chapter of the country’s anti-drug strategy by combining tougher enforcement with a strengthened public health response.
