Targeting the root causes of drug trafficking, NDLEA boss Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa is calling for a unified national front to support “alternative development” in cannabis-growing regions. 1.3.4, 1.4.1 The project replaces illegal crops with lawful, high-value agriculture, designed to uplift vulnerable rural households and secure a safer future for Nigeria. 1.2.4, 1.3.8.
In a statement issued Tuesday, February 3rd, by the Director, Media and Advocacy of the Agency, Femi Babafemi said NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) championed Africa’s first major drug control initiative. Following a successful pilot launch in Ondo State last week, Marwa addressed a press gallery in Abuja to explain that this “alternative development” strategy is about more than just replacing crops; it is a holistic community transformation. He noted:
“its wider benefits include: strengthening rural economies through value-chain development; reducing the burden on law enforcement and the justice system; promoting peace and social cohesion in previously crime-prone areas; supporting national food production and agricultural diversification; improving Nigeria’s international standing in global drug control and development cooperation.”
Marwa further stated: “this approach represents a win-win solution—for communities, for government, and for national security. The successful take off of the pilot scheme in Ilu Abo, Ifon, and Eleyewo in Ondo state last week clearly demonstrates that alternative development works when communities are engaged, supported, and empowered.
We therefore call for a strong national response and sustained support from all stakeholders across all layers of government, traditional rulers and community leaders, development partners and donor agencies, the private sector and agricultural value-chain actors as well as civil society organisations and the media.”
He further charged communities nationwide—especially those entrenched in illicit drug cultivation—to champion this model by partnering with the NDLEA. Together, he noted, they can transition toward lawful, high-impact livelihoods that guarantee both individual prosperity and collective security.(thewhistler.ng),(tribuneonlineng.com).
“Let me reiterate that the alternative development programme is not just a drug control initiative; it is a people-centred development intervention designed to uplift communities, strengthen national security, and secure Nigeria’s future.”
The NDLEA Chairman also assured that the Agency “remains fully committed to expanding this programme nationwide, in partnership with all stakeholders, as we collectively build a safer, healthier, and more prosperous Nigeria in alignment with the renewed hope agenda of the President Tinubu administration.”
Buoyed by the successful launch in Ondo State, Marwa shared insights into the scheme’s progress, noting: “one of the most encouraging outcomes of this pilot project has been the overwhelming acceptance and support expressed by the host communities and their traditional and community leaders. They have openly stated that this programme has renewed their hope in Nigeria and restored their confidence in government. They recognize that Alternative Development offers a dignified and lawful source of income for farmers; reduction in poverty and vulnerability, especially among rural households; improved food security through the introduction of viable alternative crops; enhanced community stability and safety, as illicit drug cultivation often fuels criminal networks and insecurity.”
Marwa noted that the initiative goes beyond simple crop substitution; it strikes at the heart of the illicit drug trade by offering farmers a path to sustainable growth.
Faced with the escalating scale of illicit cannabis farming, the NDLEA is evolving its strategy. Brig. Gen. Marwa noted that the Agency has embraced a UN-backed alternative development model, moving beyond arrests to address the socio-economic drivers of the “cannabis conundrum.”
“The evidence-based comprehensive data on drug use in Nigeria exposes a bleak and deeply troubling reality. According to the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics with technical support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), an estimated 14.4 per cent of Nigerians aged 15–64 years — or roughly 14.3 million people — reported using at least one psychoactive substance in the past year, a figure that is more than twice the global prevalence of drug use. Cannabis stands starkly at the centre of this crisis, dominating both patterns of consumption and the illicit cultivation landscape.”
He further disclosed that “cannabis is not a marginal issue in Nigeria – it is the most frequently used and widely available illicit drug in the country. An estimated 10.6 million adults – more than one in every ten Nigerians in the prime of life – reported using cannabis in the past year, far outstripping the use of other drugs. The severity of the problem extends beyond consumption into widespread cultivation and organized production. Field assessments focusing on high-risk areas in the South West reveal that nearly 8,900 hectares of land are under cannabis cultivation, often hidden deep within forests and remote regions. These illicit farms are clustered and interconnected, hinting at organized networks that not only supply domestic demand but also facilitate trafficking beyond Nigeria’s borders.”
Marwa laid bare the sobering reality of the situation:
“the social and public health implications are stark. With youth and adults alike turning to habitual cannabis use often initiated in late adolescence the nation faces the threat of long-term health consequences, increased dependency, and cascading social harms, including lost productivity, crime, and the burden on overstretched healthcare systems. More revealing is the fact that out of a total of 15 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs seized by NDLEA in the past five years, over 75 percent of them are cannabis. Just imagine the harm that quantity would have done to our youths, public health and national security.”
He expressed firm confidence that the alternative development initiative will reverse the tide, provided it receives a robust national response and sustained support. This strategy is perfectly anchored in the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Furthermore, he lauded the national stakeholders and international partners whose commitment is already driving the initiative forward.
“This pilot project was flagged off with the invaluable support of several global institutions and partners, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Global Partnership on Drug Policies and Development (GPDPD), Berlin, Germany; Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage (MFLF), Bangkok, Thailand; as well as support from friendly countries and development partners committed to sustainable livelihoods and community resilience, including friends and partners who participated virtually from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Germany, Thailand, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Netherlands, Myanmar, Bhutan, Laos, Afghanistan, Iran, and Guatemala. Also significant was the presence and support of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Ayedatiwa and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari who was ably represented by the Regional Director Southwest, Mrs. Alao Temitayo.”
