Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, chairman of the UAE’s National Drug Enforcement Authority, witnessed the signing of the agreement between the NDEA and Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on the sidelines of the 15th United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Abu Dhabi. The Emirates News Agency reported that Rashid Hamad Al Shamsi, NDEA director-general, signed on behalf of the UAE while Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, NDLEA chairman and chief executive, represented Nigeria. The pact establishes a framework for enhanced security collaboration on a transnational issue that threatens societies in both nations.
The memorandum focuses on combating the production, manufacture and smuggling of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, the Emirates News Agency stated. It provides for the exchange of information and data on countermeasures as well as mutual assistance in controlled delivery operations and the monitoring of drug movements. Officials from both sides also agreed to share expertise through training programmes, reciprocal visits, workshops and the exchange of research and legislation in line with national laws and international obligations.
NDLEA figures show that the agency intercepted 354.7 kilogrammes of illicit drugs, including cocaine, cannabis, tramadol, rohypnol, ecstasy and khat, in consignments bound for the UAE between 2021 and 2026. Those operations resulted in the arrest and prosecution of 47 suspects, according to statements by Marwa during the event. The statistics underscore the volume of trafficking along the corridor that the new agreement seeks to address.
A separate NDLEA assessment covering January 2021 to July 2026 placed the agency’s nationwide arrests at more than 91,000 suspects, among them 243 alleged drug barons. The same period saw the seizure of over 15.5 million kilogrammes of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals along with 16,469 convictions, NDLEA data indicate. Marwa noted that more than 53,000 drug users had received counselling, treatment and rehabilitation while the agency’s awareness campaign reached nearly 5.9 million Nigerians.
The agreement forms part of the UAE’s strategy of building bilateral partnerships with international agencies to counter illicit drug trafficking and abuse, the Emirates News Agency reported. It reflects the strong bilateral relations between the two countries and aligns with international conventions on narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Both parties intend to expand existing liaison arrangements through deeper intelligence sharing and operational coordination.
UAE authorities have additionally committed to supplying Nigerian travellers with a comprehensive list of prohibited items to reduce unintentional violations, according to NDLEA briefings. The partnership builds on prior exchanges of personnel and technical cooperation between the NDEA and NDLEA. The signing concludes a series of engagements that began in late 2025 aimed at disrupting cross-border syndicates.
