FG Approves Mandatory Drug Testing for Public Service Applicants

The Federal Government has approved the implementation of compulsory pre-employment drug testing for individuals seeking appointment into the Public Service.
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, Segun Imohiosen.

According to him, the approval forms part of ongoing efforts to tackle the rising incidence of illicit drug use and its adverse effects on national development and security.
Imohiosen stated that Permanent Secretaries as well as Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Parastatals have been directed to make drug testing a mandatory requirement in the recruitment of new staff.
Part of the statement read:
“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 sustained efforts to curb the growing menace of illicit drug use and its negative consequences on national development and security.
“Accordingly, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Parastatals are hereby directed to incorporate mandatory drug testing as a core requirement in the recruitment of new personnel.”
He further explained that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have been instructed to work closely with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in conducting the tests in line with approved standards and procedures.
Imohiosen added that the directive, conveyed through a service-wide circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to MDAs and extra-ministerial departments, aligns with the current administration’s resolve to decisively confront drug and substance abuse and safeguard the integrity of the national workforce.
He noted that the policy was driven by concerns over the increasing rate of drug and substance abuse, particularly among young people.
“The decision to introduce mandatory pre-employment drug testing for prospective applicants is based on the Federal Government’s concern over the alarming prevalence of drug and substance abuse, especially among the nation’s teeming youth, and its far-reaching implications for public health, socio-economic development, workplace productivity and national security,” the statement said.
The initiative builds on other anti-drug measures rolled out in 2025. In November, the Nigeria Customs Service introduced mandatory drug testing for all new recruits and serving officers to strengthen discipline and border security. Similarly, in July, a directive approving institution-wide drug screening in universities signaled a broader national effort to combat substance abuse.