Africa Needs To Prevent Increase Drug Use- Marwa
30th June 2025 04:25 PM
The Commission of the African Union has said the formulation of new action plan on drug control and crime prevention on the African continent will not be complete without inputs from Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) because of its central role in law enforcement in the region.
Femi Babafemi, NDLEA Spokesman in statement revealed that the AU Commission stated this on Monday 30th June 2025 during an assessment visit to the Agency’s National Headquarters in Abuja by a three-member delegation.
The delegation included the team lead Dr. Olubusayo Akinola, Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention; Dr. Abiola Olaleye, Senior Drug Epidemiology and Research Officer; and Prof. Johan Strijdom, Senior Drug Control Consultant.
The statement said the visit was to evaluate the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019-2025).
"We're here to understand the status of implementation of this continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention. We are in the process of re-evaluating and starting another continental action plan that will take us from 2026 to 2030", Dr. Akinola said.
“So, we understand very well the work of NDLEA and we believe that the formulation of the new action plan will not be finalized and concluded until we have inputs from NDLEA Nigeria, because you are basically on the forefront when it comes to law enforcement on the entire continent”, she added.
The AU Commission delegation commended the NDLEA for its sustained provision of critical and policy-relevant data, which it said has significantly informed and shaped the work of the Commission over the years.
Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa, emphasized the importance of the mission, stating that he considered it imperative to receive the team personally due to the strategic relevance of their engagement.
“We are particularly pleased that the African Union is giving due weight to the implementation of the continental action plan, not merely as a theoretical exercise, but by undertaking direct field consultations with national counterparts. This grounded, evidence-informed approach will undoubtedly result in a more pragmatic and responsive framework for implementation,” he said.
Marwa highlighted the urgency of addressing the continent’s growing drug challenge.
He added that while global projections estimate a 10–11% rise in drug use prevalence, Africa is expected to experience a surge of up to 40%.
The NDLEA boss said the disparity signals a looming crisis that demands coordinated and accelerated action.