Nigeria, Qatar Deepen Partnership to Combat Illicit Drug Trafficking
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Nigeria and Qatar have strengthened their collaboration in the global fight against illicit drug trafficking with the formal exchange of instruments of ratification between both nations.
The exchange was performed by the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), and the Qatari Ambassador to Nigeria, Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri, during a brief ceremony held at the Qatar Embassy in Abuja on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
This development follows the historic signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on March 3, 2024, in Doha, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The MoU focuses on cooperation in combating the illicit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors.
Speaking at the event, Gen. Marwa expressed deep appreciation for Qatar’s partnership, describing it as a strategic alliance against one of the world’s gravest threats to public health and security.
“The NDLEA remains fully committed to working closely with our counterparts in Doha to protect our people and our countries from the dangers of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking,” Marwa said.
He revealed that over the past four years, the NDLEA had intercepted more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, cannabis, and other substances bound for Qatar, a feat he said underscores the need for continued collaboration.
Marwa also commended the Qatari government for its peacebuilding initiatives and global humanitarian interventions through the Qatar Foundation. He appealed to the Foundation to extend its support to Nigeria by providing rehabilitation facilities for individuals battling drug addiction.
In response, Ambassador Al-Hajri welcomed Marwa’s proposal and assured that he would present the request to the Qatar Foundation.
“The partnership between Nigeria and Qatar has grown stronger in recent years, reflected in the increasing interactions and travels between our two nations,” the envoy noted.
The renewed cooperation, officials said, marks another milestone in Nigeria’s effort to strengthen international partnerships in tackling the global drug menace.
