The Federal Government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for prospective applicants into the Public Service as part of efforts to curb illicit drug use and its impact on national development and security.

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.
According to the statement, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Parastatals have been directed to make drug testing a core 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 said.

“Consequently, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Parastatals are hereby directed to include mandatory drug testing as a core requirement in the recruitment of new personnel.”

Imohiosen added that 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 established standards and procedures.

He said the directive was conveyed through a service-wide circular from the OSGF to all MDAs, including extra-ministerial departments, in line with the current administration’s resolve to decisively tackle drug and substance abuse and safeguard the integrity of the national workforce.

The government noted that the policy was informed by growing concerns over the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse, particularly among young people.

“The directive on the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for prospective applicants is premised on concerns over the rising rate of drug and substance abuse, especially among the teeming youth in the country, with far-reaching implications for public health, socio-economic development, workplace productivity and national security,” the statement added.

The initiative builds on a series of anti-drug measures introduced by the Federal Government in 2025.

In November, the Nigeria Customs Service mandated drug testing for all incoming recruits and serving officers to strengthen discipline and border security, while a July directive approved university-wide drug screening as part of a nationwide push to address substance abuse.