Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care
For a long time considered mainly a transit country, the drug use epidemic has reached highly preoccupying levels in Nigeria. While cannabis remains the most popular drug, there is a rapidly evolving trend towards the non-medical use of prescription drugs, such as tramadol and cough syrups as well as a growing number of injecting and other high risk drug users. At the same time, Nigerian drug trafficking networks continue to fuel both the local as well as international illicit drug markets. Nigeria is a party to the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic, in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1998 which together with the National Drug Control Master Plan for Nigeria guide UNODC's work in this area.
Our work
Since the inception of its work in Nigeria, UNODC has been supporting State and Non-State actors in their efforts to prevent and counter drug production, trafficking and use and to enhance access to quality drug prevention, treatment and care services. More recently, efforts have been particularly focused on improving evidence-based policy review and development, enhancing technical skills and operational capacity of frontline agencies, and strengthening drug treatment, rehabilitation and prevention capacities across the public service as well as relevant NGOs.
Our partners
Key partners for UNODC's work in this area include, among others, the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Use (PACEDA), the
Federal Ministry of Health, the
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the
Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS),
Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), the
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS),
National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA), the
Federal Ministry of Justice, the
Federal Ministry of Education, the Nigerian judiciary,
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as well as a host of civil society organizations.
Our projects
- Alternative to Incarceration (2022-2026) funded with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the US Department of State
- Quality Assurance for Drug Use Disorder Treatment (2022-2023) funded with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the US Department of State
- Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crime (2013-2022) funded by the European Union
- Support to ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on Illicit Drug Trafficking, Organized Crime related to it and Drug Abuse in West Africa (2015-2019) funded by the European Union
