The Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa, has expressed optimism that the forthcoming National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP 2026–2030) will significantly enhance Nigeria’s response to drug abuse and trafficking.
Marwa made the statement on Thursday in Abuja at the agency’s headquarters while receiving the final evaluation report on the implementation of the 2021–2025 NDCMP.
In a statement issued by the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr Femi Babafemi, Marwa said the thorough preparation underway for the new master plan would ensure measurable gains in public health outcomes and national security once implemented.
He praised the team of consultants led by Prof. Ibrahim Wakawa of the University of Maiduguri’s Department of Mental Health for their professionalism and dedication in conducting the assessment of the outgoing master plan.
Marwa commended the evaluators for acknowledging the agency’s achievements in drug supply reduction and demand reduction initiatives, noting that their findings would help refine future strategies.
He said the upcoming NDCMP would align with the administration’s broader security and development objectives, adding that its full rollout would deliver greater benefits to Nigerians.
Earlier, Prof. Wakawa lauded Marwa’s leadership, which he said had enabled the agency to surpass several performance benchmarks outlined in the 2021–2025 master plan.
He expressed confidence that the NDLEA would address identified gaps, particularly in drug demand reduction, during the execution of the 2026–2030 strategy.
Wakawa was accompanied by Mrs Ngozi Oguejiofor and Mrs Ibiba Odili, both retired Assistant Commanders General of Narcotics, who previously headed the NDCMP Secretariat at different times.
The new master plan is expected to tackle emerging challenges such as synthetic drug proliferation, dark-web trafficking, poly-substance abuse, and illicit financial flows that fuel the narcotics trade.