Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the UK’s Home Office International Operations (HOIO) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen bilateral cooperation against transnational organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, money laundering, and the movement of prohibited goods between both countries. The agreement was formalized on May 26, 2025, at the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja, solidifying a new phase in a decades-old partnership between the two countries.
The strategic goals of the memorandum of understanding between the two countries are to enhance intelligence sharing to identify traffickers and illegal trade networks operating across West Africa and Europe, develop a joint operational frameworks to facilitate coordinated arrests, asset tracking, and syndicate dismantling and improved data exchange and secure communication channels in line with Nigeria’s National Drug Control Master Plan and UK international crime strategies.
NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), described the agreement as a vital tool in building cross-border resilience. “This is more than a document—it’s a commitment to act together. With the UK’s support, our capacity to track drug routes, monitor suspicious financial transactions, and identify kingpins is significantly boosted,” he said.
Ian Cunliffe, Regional Manager for West Africa at the UK’s HOIO, reaffirmed Britain’s resolve to support Nigeria’s anti-narcotics efforts. He praised the NDLEA’s progress and noted that the MoU would enhance operational synergy across key trafficking corridors. This partnership is especially timely, following a surge in illicit drug inflows through West Africa to Europe and North America. It also follows Nigeria’s recent high-profile seizures of narcotics, including over 6 million opioid pills and 77 tons of cannabis, which highlighted the scale of the regional drug crisis.
The new MoU replaces previous bilateral frameworks and incorporates updated provisions on cyber-enabled trafficking, cryptocurrency laundering, and emerging narcotic substances. Both countries affirmed their shared commitment to rule-of-law enforcement, judicial cooperation, and public safety, marking a renewed era of collaboration in global counter-narcotics strategy.
