As NDLEA and the Education Ministry form a technical team for rollout, experts warn the policy may backfire without deeper reforms
The Federal Government is set to begin compulsory drug tests for all fresh and returning students in tertiary institutions across the country starting from the next academic session, likely from September 2025. This decision follows a partnership between the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Federal Ministry of Education aimed at curbing substance abuse among undergraduates.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, declared the government’s full commitment to the initiative during a recent meeting with the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.). Both officials described drug abuse as a national threat, linking it to rising youth unemployment, impaired decision-making, and increased criminal activity.
“We’ll start with tertiary institutions, for their fresh and returning students as well as random testing. We do not have a choice,” Alausa said.
Preliminary data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) show that over 800,000 students have already been offered admission for the new academic session, a figure consistent with past years. For the 2023/2024 academic year alone, the number exceeded 900,000.
A senior NDLEA official who confirmed the initiative disclosed that a technical working group has already been established to oversee implementation strategies. While specific modalities are still being finalized, the official noted that drug tests would be conducted using simple, urine-based kits—similar to home pregnancy tests—and likely administered in school clinics or NDLEA facilities.
However, questions remain over who will foot the bill. In schools that already conduct drug screening, students bear the cost, often integrated into medical fees, averaging between ₦3,500 and ₦5,000.
The policy has received a mixed response. NDLEA spokesperson Femi Babafemi emphasized its preventive value, stating that early detection provides opportunities for intervention and treatment before addiction sets in. He also stressed that the test should be seen as a health check, not punishment, and likened it to routine screenings for HIV or other medical conditions.
But many education stakeholders have expressed concerns about the feasibility, ethics, and long-term impact of such a policy. President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, questioned the policy’s practical value, asking, “If a student tests positive, then what? Rehabilitation or expulsion?”
He emphasized that drug use often stems from broader socio-economic issues, not just personal choice. “Force has never stopped substance use,” he warned, adding that supportive interventions like counselling, awareness campaigns, and peer support groups are more effective.
Supporting this view, Prof. Andrew Haruna, Secretary of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, said Nigeria's higher education system lacks the infrastructure to support such widespread testing. “We don’t even have enough medical staff in our schools,” he said. “Some student hostels meant for two now house 10, it’s a ghetto.”
Haruna also questioned the sustainability of the program. “What happens when schools go on strike? Will tests be repeated every time students return?” He warned against rolling out policies without adequate planning or research backing, especially in institutions already battling underfunding, overcrowding, and systemic neglect.
Experts also raised concerns that students may avoid help or simply abstain for a few days to pass the tests undetected, undermining the purpose of the program. Mental health professionals called for redirection of funds toward advocacy, mental wellness programs, and student-friendly drug prevention clubs.
While the government’s plan reflects growing concern over substance abuse among Nigerian youth, critics insist that any anti-drug strategy must go beyond detection to tackle the deeper issues of poverty, poor living conditions, lack of support services, and institutional decay, which often drive students toward substance use.
“Let’s not treat symptoms while ignoring the disease,” Haruna urged. “Fix the environment, and we’ll see change.”
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