The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has clarified that its recent comments on the potential export of cannabis oil were not reflective of any official government policy but merely opinions expressed during a scientific workshop.
The agency made the clarification in a statement issued on Thursday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, following reports suggesting that the NDLEA had approved the export of cannabis oil.
According to Babafemi, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), had only presented the agency’s perspective at a workshop themed “Cannabis Oil Debate: The Path Forward for Nigeria,” organized by the Nigerian Academy of Science in Abuja on October 8, 2025.
He explained that while Marwa acknowledged the potential foreign exchange benefits of cannabis oil export, the agency remains firmly opposed to its local use due to existing laws and Nigeria’s growing drug abuse problem.
“It is important to note that the Agency’s position was one of many opinions canvassed by stakeholders at the workshop and should not be interpreted as the Federal Government’s approval of cannabis oil export,” the statement read.
Babafemi further disclosed that an ongoing study on cannabis oil, commissioned by the NDLEA and conducted by the Nigerian Academy of Science, would guide future policy decisions on the issue.
“We can only be further guided by the final recommendations of the Nigerian Academy of Science, which will be submitted to the Federal Government as part of the inputs for developing an informed policy on the subject,” he said.
The NDLEA emphasized that only the Federal Government has the authority to approve or regulate the export of cannabis oil, reiterating that no such approval currently exists.
