The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United Arab Emirates’ National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.
On the fringes of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday, September 26, 2026, the agreement was signed.
According to Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman and CEO of NDLEA, the deal will improve intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement actions between Nigeria and the UAE.
According to Marwa, the MoU follows several years of engagement between the two agencies and is intended to strengthen efforts to identify and disrupt drug trafficking activities along the Nigeria-UAE route.
He disclosed that between 2021 and 2026, the NDLEA had seized about 354.7 kilograms of illegal drugs headed for the United Arab Emirates. 47 suspects were detained and charged in relation to the seizures, which included cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy, and khat.
Marwa also emphasized the agency’s more extensive anti-drug activities throughout Nigeria from January 2021 to July 2026. He reported that over 15.5 million kilograms of illegal drugs and precursor chemicals had been seized, and over 91,000 suspects, including 243 suspected drug barons, had been taken into custody.
He added that the agency secured 16,469 convictions during the period and provided counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services to more than 53,000 people affected by drug use.
The NDLEA chairman further said the agency’s War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign had reached nearly 5.9 million Nigerians through community and school-based advocacy programmes.
Under the new agreement, both countries are expected to expand the exchange of operational intelligence, technical expertise and liaison personnel. The UAE is also expected to provide Nigerian travellers with information on prohibited items to help prevent inadvertent violations of its drug laws.
The Chairman of the NDEA, Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to closer cooperation with Nigeria, particularly in tackling trafficking networks that exploit the countries’ extensive trade, travel and people-to-people connections.
He characterized the agreement as an extension of the two agencies’ prior cooperation.
Both officials expressed hope that the collaboration would result in better intelligence sharing, more coordinated operations, and increased efforts to break up drug trafficking networks between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
The collaboration is also aligned with broader international efforts to combat organised drug trafficking, including the shared responsibilities promoted through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
