President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to repeal both the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act and the Indian Hemp Act as part of sweeping legislative reforms aimed at modernizing Nigeria’s framework for combating illicit drugs.
According to a letter read on Tuesday during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the proposed NDLEA Bill, 2026 seeks to officially repeal the Indian Hemp Act (Cap. N10) and the NDLEA Act (Cap. N30), both of which are codified under the 2004 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
The overarching objective of the proposed legislation on drug laws is to establish a consolidated legal structure for enforcing prohibitions against the cultivation, processing, trafficking, and consumption of illegal narcotics.
Furthermore, the bill aims to expand the statutory powers of the agency, granting it broader authority to investigate individuals suspected of engaging in illicit drug-related operations.
The Senate also considered a bill sponsored by Senator Suleiman Sadiq aimed at repealing and re-enacting the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Act to strengthen the agency’s enforcement and regulatory powers.
Sadiq told lawmakers that while NAFDAC has played a vital role in regulating food, pharmaceuticals, and related products, existing legislation is increasingly inadequate for addressing contemporary public health challenges.
He noted that the current law established NAFDAC as a major public health institution by empowering it to regulate food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals, packaged water, and allied items.
Although he commended the agency’s efforts in reducing counterfeit drugs and improving pharmaceutical oversight, the senator argued that scientific advancements and the growing complexity of cross-border trafficking in substandard goods have exposed significant legal loopholes.
Strengthen NAFDAC
The proposed legislation would significantly expand NAFDAC’s investigative and enforcement capabilities, granting authorized officers the power to search premises and vehicles, seize and detain illegal products, seal non-compliant facilities, and secure necessary court orders.
Furthermore, the bill seeks to modernize the agency’s institutional framework and financial management systems, restructure its governing council, and enhance internal accountability protocols.
According to Sadiq, these amendments are designed to boost regulatory efficiency while ensuring that all enforcement procedures strictly uphold constitutional rights and due process.
He added that the updated legal framework would eliminate existing ambiguities, offering clearer guidelines for regulators, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, investors, and the judicial system.
“Ultimately, this bill is about protecting the lives and health of Nigerians, strengthening confidence in our healthcare system, promoting local manufacturing, facilitating legitimate commerce, improving regulatory efficiency, and ensuring that Nigeria’s food and drug regulatory framework remains responsive to evolving global realities and challenges,” he said.
Sowore Accuses Tinubu, Other Politicians of Copying His Cannabis Decriminalisation Policy
Meanwhile, African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate and human rights activist Omoyele Sowore has alleged that President Bola Tinubu and other Nigerian political figures routinely plagiarize policy concepts and initiatives proposed by him and his party, presenting them as their own.
According to Sowore, political actors who initially dismiss his progressive proposals as radical eventually adopt and implement them over time.
“Nigeria’s incompetent politicians have developed a habit of listening to our revolutionary ideas, copying them, and then repackaging them as though they invented them,” Sowore said in a post on X.
“Now, Tinubu @officialABAT is reportedly talking about decriminalizing cannabis (Indian hemp), a position we have advocated for years.”
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