President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to repeal Nigeria’s decades-old Indian Hemp Act as part of a proposed overhaul of the country’s legal framework for combating illicit drugs, seeking to replace the existing legislation with a consolidated drug control law.
The President’s request, contained in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday, also seeks the repeal of the existing National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act to establish a unified legal framework for drug enforcement.
The proposed NDLEA Bill, 2026, seeks to strengthen the legal basis for tackling the cultivation, processing, trafficking and use of illicit drugs, while empowering the agency to investigate persons suspected of involvement in drug-related offences.
The legislation specifically targets the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap. I6, both contained in the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Tinubu transmitted the bill to the Senate pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. It was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
The move comes alongside a separate proposal to overhaul the legal framework governing the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), reflecting a broader legislative push to update Nigeria’s drug enforcement and product regulation systems.
Presenting the NAFDAC bill, Senator Suleiman Sadiq argued that the agency’s existing law had become inadequate in the face of emerging public health risks, technological advances and increasingly sophisticated cross-border trade in counterfeit products.
He cited developments in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, advanced medical devices, diagnostics, biological products and active pharmaceutical ingredients as areas requiring stronger and more comprehensive regulatory provisions.
The proposed NAFDAC Act seeks to empower designated officers to inspect premises and vehicles, seize and detain illegal products, seal offending facilities and obtain relevant court orders.
It also provides for changes to the agency’s governing council, institutional structure, accountability mechanisms and financial management arrangements, with safeguards to ensure compliance with due process and constitutional requirements.
Sadiq said the proposed law would improve public health protection, strengthen regulatory efficiency, encourage local manufacturing and enhance confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Senate also received the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to expand the bureau’s mandate beyond aviation to cover maritime and other transport-related incidents.
The bill further proposes transferring the bureau’s oversight to the Presidency and strengthening its institutional and operational framework. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
