ABUJA, 7 October 2025 – Nigeria and Qatar have reaffirmed their commitment to combat illicit drug trafficking through the exchange of ratified instruments of cooperation between the two nations, marking a new phase in their joint fight against narcotics.
According to a press statement released on Tuesday by Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the exchange took place at the Qatar Embassy in Abuja between the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd.), and Qatar’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Ali Bin Ghanem Al-Hajri.
The ceremony follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in March 2024 in Doha, establishing bilateral cooperation on combating the illicit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and their precursors.
Marwa expressed appreciation for Qatar’s collaboration, describing it as “a strong alliance against a major threat to public health and global security.” He said the NDLEA remains committed to working with its counterpart in Doha “to protect our people and countries from the threat of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.”
He disclosed that the agency had intercepted more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and cannabis bound for Qatar in the past four years.
While commending Qatar’s peace-building and humanitarian initiatives through the Qatar Foundation, Marwa urged the Foundation to support Nigeria by providing rehabilitation facilities for people battling drug addiction.
In response, Ambassador Al-Hajri assured that he would convey the request to the Foundation, noting that relations between Nigeria and Qatar “have grown stronger in recent years, with increasing cooperation and travel between both nations.”
