The federal government has introduced mandatory drug testing as a new requirement for employment into the public service.
The directive was conveyed in a statement issued on Monday to permanent secretaries and heads of extra-ministerial departments and parastatals.
According to the statement signed by Segun Imohiosen, director of information and public relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the new requirement is part of ongoing efforts to curb the rising abuse of illicit drugs and address its impact on national development and security.
Imohiosen said the policy was informed by the federal government’s concern over the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse, particularly among young people.
He noted that the “disturbing trend” poses serious risks to public health, socio-economic development, workplace productivity, and national security.
Ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have been directed to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in conducting the tests, in line with approved standards and procedures.
The policy comes weeks after Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), introduced a similar mandatory drug-testing requirement for all recruits and serving officers of the service.
Adeniyi said the measure was designed to ensure that no recruit enters the service with substance-abuse tendencies that could impair judgement, compromise security duties, or undermine operational integrity.
He added that serving officers would also be subjected to the tests as the NCS moves towards establishing “a fully drug-free institution.”
Mandatory drug testing for public service employment is not a standard global practice. However, in countries such as the United States and some European nations, pre-employment drug testing is common for safety-sensitive roles, including transportation and public safety positions.
