Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crime in Nigeria 

The "Response to Drugs and Related Organized Crime in Nigeria" project is funded by the European Union under the 10th European Development Fund and implemented by UNODC. Project implementation commenced in January 2013 with the overall goal to support the Nigerian Government in its efforts to curb the production, trafficking and use of illicit drugs as well as of prescription drugs for non-medial purposes, including through improved interdiction and enforcement, prevention and treatment.

The project focuses on where drugs and organised crime intersect, in line with relevant international conventions and adopting a balanced, human-rights-based approach rooted in international best practice. More specifically, UNODC supports Nigerian partners in developing evidence-based policies and in improving legislation and coordination in pursuit of a balanced approach to drug control, with equal emphasis being provided to drug demand reduction and to supply suppression. The project also aims at improving law enforcement and regulatory capacity in drug control and in tackling organized drug-related crime, as well as to enhance drug prevention, treatment and care service provided by various actors. 

The project is being implemented in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), the Federal Ministry of Education (FMOE), the Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ), the Judiciary and a large number of relevant civil society organizations as well as the more recently established Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse (PACEDA)

The main results achieved by the project so far include:

  • National Drug Control Master Plan (2015-2019) developed and implemented. It is the key strategy document on drugs which promotes a balanced and evidence-based response to drug control in Nigeria. UNODC is currently supporting the development of the next NDCMP for the 2020-2024 period;
  • As a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse, supported the work of the Committee and its Chairman on international good practices and lessons learned in the area of drug prevention, treatment and law enforcement with a view to developing targeted recommendations for the potential reform of the policy, legal, institutional and operational drug control framework in Nigeria;
  • Information and knowledge base improved through research and analysis, including the National Drug Use Survey, the Nigerian Epidemiological Network on Drug Use (NENDU), a National Drug Threat Assessment,  and the National Survey to quantify and estimate the needs for controlled psychotropic substances and precursors for medical and scientific purposes;
  • Quality standards Increased to bring drug response in line with international standards: National Policy for Controlled Medicines, Pain Management Guidelines, Minimum Standards for Drug Dependence Treatment, Sensitization Guidelines, in draft - Drug Sentencing Guidelines, National Drug Treatment Guidelines, Assessment of legal framework with recommendations submitted;
  • Over 3,600 law enforcement officials from seven agencies trained through 167 courses on modern intelligence/investigation techniques, human rights;
  • Over 2000  health professionals trained on drug prevention, treatment and care;
  • First ever pilot implementation of 'Unplugged' in Africa -a school-based drug prevention programme - through the conduct of a successful randomized control trial and a subsequent roll out of the programme in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education;
  • Three joint law enforcement operations between Nigeria and Ghana supported (Operation Eagle) which resulted in the arrest of 25 suspects and the seizure of substantial quantities of illicit drugs.