Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Retired Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa has warned that Africa could witness a 40% surge in drug use prevalence if urgent and coordinated action is not taken to address the growing crisis.
Marwa made this known on Monday in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the African Union (AU) Commission on a strategic assessment visit to the agency’s headquarters.
He noted that, while global projections estimate a 10–11% increase in drug use prevalence, Africa could face a surge of up to 40%, which poses a major public health and security threat.
“This disparity signals a looming crisis that demands coordinated and accelerated action,” Marwa said.
He emphasized the importance of the AU’s visit, describing it as a shift from rhetoric to results-driven engagement.
“We are particularly pleased that the African Union is approaching implementation as more than a theoretical exercise.
Field consultations like this ensure a pragmatic and responsive framework,” he added.
NDLEA’s role in shaping Africa’s drug policy
The NDLEA Chairman explained that he personally welcomed the AU delegation due to the strategic importance of their engagement, which ties directly into shaping the continent’s future drug control agenda.
Meanwhile, the African Union Commission has emphasized that the ongoing development of a new continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention would be incomplete without input from the NDLEA.
This position was made known by Dr Olubusayo Akinola, Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control, and Crime Prevention at the AU Commission, during a visit to the NDLEA National Headquarters in Abuja.
Akinola led a three-member delegation, which included Dr Abiola Olaleye, Senior Drug Epidemiology and Research Officer, and Prof. Johan Strijdom, Senior Drug Control Consultant.
AU plan for 2026–2030 underway
He explained that the visit aimed to evaluate the implementation of the current African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019–2025), as well as to gather insights for the next strategic framework covering 2026 to 2030.
“We are here to understand the status of implementation of the continental action plan on drug control and crime prevention.
“The new plan won’t be complete without NDLEA’s input. You are on the forefront of law enforcement on the entire continent,” Akinola said.
AU commends NDLEA, outlines areas of support
The AU delegation commended NDLEA for consistently providing reliable, policy-relevant data that has helped shape the Commission’s work over the years.
The team also stressed the need to identify institutional and operational gaps and explore areas requiring technical assistance, including forensic science, canine detection units, and other capacity-building measures.
