The Egyptian Ambassador, Mohammed Fouad and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), when the former paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The Egyptian Ambassador, Mohammed Fouad and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), when the former paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Photo: NDLEA.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has expressed readiness to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with its Egyptian counterpart to deepen cooperation in the fight against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking through intelligence sharing, joint operations and training.
The agency said the proposed agreement would strengthen existing bilateral ties between Nigeria and Egypt and enhance efforts to tackle the growing threat posed by international drug cartels operating across Africa.
The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this when the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad, paid him a courtesy visit at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to a statement issued by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Marwa stressed the need for closer collaboration between both countries to confront the global drug menace.
“The drug problem is a global challenge. Nowhere is untouched. The drug menace is everywhere in the world, and it is for this reason that we have this kind of collaboration. We collaborate with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau of the US, the National Crime Agency of the UK, the UK Border Force, the French Police, the German Criminal Police, our counterparts in Narcotics Control Bureau of India, Home Office International Operations of the UK and many more.
“We are therefore very excited that we’re going to collaborate with Egypt through an MoU. We’ve had recent headaches, I think because of the pressure from elsewhere, so the drug cartels are trying to find other alternatives in Africa, but we have to stay united and push them out of our continent”, the statement quoted Marwa as saying.
Marwa said the agency had recorded significant successes in dismantling drug manufacturing operations linked to foreign cartels operating in Nigeria.
He continued, “They are coming this way from Mexico, and just about two months ago, we were able to take down a methamphetamine lab that was worth $362 million. The Mexicans themselves were manufacturing it in Nigeria, in the deep jungle, but we were able to take it down.
“And we’ve also dismantled another meth lab run by some other Mexicans in a different state recently. So, I’m quite happy that Nigeria and Egypt have been working on an MoU to further our cooperation in this very important area. I think signing the MoU will pave the way for a more institutional cooperation between our competent agencies combating narcotics.”
Earlier, the Egyptian envoy underscored the importance of stronger collaboration between both countries to address the challenge of narcotics trafficking from a continental perspective.
“Overall, I think it’s important for Egypt and Nigeria to enhance our bilateral cooperation in this area. Egypt and Nigeria, being the two prominent African countries, should be able to address the challenge of combating narcotics from a continental perspective, which I think is impacting societies all over the continent.
“So, I’m on this visit to discuss with you what we can do together in terms of combating illicit trade and trafficking narcotics and to learn more about your priorities as an agency and how bilateral cooperation with Egypt can help and support the outstanding job that you’re carrying out here in Nigeria in combating narcotics”, the statement quoted Fouad as saying.
Nigeria has intensified efforts in recent years to combat drug trafficking and abuse, with the NDLEA recording several high-profile seizures and arrests linked to international drug syndicates.
The agency has also expanded partnerships with foreign law enforcement and anti-narcotics organisations as part of a broader strategy to disrupt transnational drug networks.
The proposed Nigeria-Egypt MoU is expected to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries in intelligence gathering, capacity building and coordinated enforcement actions aimed at curbing the illicit drug trade across Africa.
