Port drug seizures hit 2.55mkg, valued at N3trn – NDLEA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) confiscated about 2,553,132.90 kilogrammes of illicit drugs at Nigeria’s seaports between 2021 and 2025, with the seizures estimated to be worth over N3 trillion, according to the agency’s latest data.

The figures, recorded across major seaports and marine commands nationwide, highlight both the scale of drug trafficking through Nigeria’s maritime gateways and the intensity of enforcement operations over the five-year period.

Data released by the agency shows that total seizures stood at 96,690.90kg in 2021, before dropping sharply to 20,296.70kg in 2022. The volume later rose to 86,169.54kg in 2023, before surging dramatically to an all-time high of 1,745,422.75kg in 2024. In 2025, seizures declined but remained significant at 605,553.01kg.

A breakdown of the seizures across ports revealed that Apapa Port recorded 33,540kg in 2021, 17,759.74kg in 2022, 85,491.59kg in 2023, 54,116.17kg in 2024, and 153,028.19kg in 2025.

At Tin Can Island Port, seizures increased from 22,725.60kg in 2021 to 1,881.80kg in 2022 and 654.40kg in 2023, before rising sharply to 454,586.54kg in 2024. The port recorded 30,815.21kg in 2025.

The Port Harcourt Seaport command posted some of the most dramatic figures, with seizures moving from 40,425.30kg in 2021 and 143.83kg in 2022 to 23.55kg in 2023, before spiking to 1,227,595.42kg in 2024 and 410,553.61kg in 2025.

Marine operations also intensified during the period, with the NDLEA Marine Command recording 9,121.49kg in 2024 and 11,156kg in 2025, reflecting expanded surveillance across coastal and inland waterways.

Reacting to the figures, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the statistics demonstrate sustained intelligence-led interdiction efforts at the nation’s seaports.

Babafemi explained that the agency is working to dismantle maritime drug trafficking routes through improved intelligence gathering, risk profiling, container tracking, and stronger collaboration with other security agencies operating at the ports.

He noted that drug traffickers increasingly target seaports for bulk shipments, often concealing narcotics in containerised cargo and vessel movements. However, he stressed that NDLEA operations have significantly increased the risks and costs for syndicates operating through Nigeria’s maritime domain.

Further analysis shows that the seized drugs carry enormous street value. NDLEA valuation benchmarks indicate that one kilogramme of cocaine sells for between N800m and N1bn, while methamphetamine ranges from N400m to N600m per kilogramme.

Although substances such as cannabis sativa, tramadol, codeine and other controlled pharmaceutical opioids attract lower prices per unit, their large volumes significantly raise the cumulative value of the seizures.

Based on conservative estimates, the illicit drugs intercepted at the nation’s seaports between 2021 and 2025 are valued at well above N3 trillion, representing one of the most significant financial blows to drug trafficking networks operating in and through Nigeria.

Babafemi added that the sharp spike in seizures recorded in 2024 and the sustained high interceptions in 2025 suggest traffickers are being forced into riskier operations due to tighter port controls and improved intelligence coordination.

He reiterated that Nigeria’s seaports will remain hostile territory for drug traffickers regardless of the scale or sophistication of their operations.