FG approves mandatory drug test for public service job applicants

The Federal Government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for prospective applicants into the Nigerian Public Service.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Mr Segun Imohiosen. He said the policy is part of broader efforts to curb the growing menace of illicit drug use and its negative impact on national development and security.

According to the statement, Permanent Secretaries as well as Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Parastatals have been directed to make drug testing a compulsory requirement in the recruitment of new personnel.

“The Federal Government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing as a requirement for prospective applicants into the Public Service, as part of ongoing efforts to curb the rising menace of illicit drug use and its attendant consequences on national development and security,” the statement read.

Imohiosen added that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to conduct the tests in line with approved standards and procedures.

He explained that the directive, conveyed through a service-wide circular from the OSGF to all MDAs and extra-ministerial departments, reflects the current administration’s determination to tackle drug and substance abuse and protect the public service from unwholesome practices.

The statement noted that the policy was informed by concerns over the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse in the country, particularly among young people, and its implications for public health, socio-economic development, workplace productivity and national security.

The initiative aligns with other anti-drug measures introduced in 2025. In November, the Nigeria Customs Service mandated drug testing for all new recruits and serving officers, while a directive issued in July approved drug screening across universities nationwide, underscoring a coordinated national effort to address substance abuse.