President Bola Tinubu has requested the Senate to repeal the Indian Hemp Act and the present National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act as a part of efforts to overtake Nigeria’s authorized framework for combating illicit medicine.
In a letter learn by Senate President Godswill Akpabio throughout plenary on Tuesday, Tinubu stated the proposed NDLEA Bill, 2026, sought to repeal the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap. I6, each contained within the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The proposed laws seeks to ascertain a consolidated authorized framework for imposing legal guidelines towards the cultivation, processing, trafficking and use of illicit medicine.
It would additionally empower the company to analyze people suspected of involvement in drug-related actions.
Transmitted pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the invoice was referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for additional legislative motion.
Separately, the Senate thought of a invoice sponsored by Senator Suleiman Sadiq searching for to repeal and re-enact the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control Act to strengthen the company’s regulatory and enforcement powers.
Sadiq instructed lawmakers that the present legislation had turn out to be more and more insufficient to handle modern public well being challenges, regardless of NAFDAC’s contributions to regulating meals, medicines and different merchandise.
He stated the legislation had established NAFDAC as a key public well being establishment, empowering it to control meals, medicines, cosmetics, medical gadgets, chemical compounds, packaged water and associated merchandise.
While acknowledging the company’s position in decreasing counterfeit medicines and enhancing pharmaceutical regulation, the senator stated scientific improvements and more and more subtle cross-border commerce in counterfeit merchandise had uncovered gaps within the present laws.
“The global regulatory environment has changed dramatically. Scientific innovations have introduced new categories of regulated products. Cross-border movement of counterfeit products has become increasingly sophisticated,” he stated.
Sadiq recognized biotechnology, synthetic intelligence, superior medical gadgets, diagnostics, organic merchandise and lively pharmaceutical components as developments that had been inadequately addressed or totally absent from the present legislation.
He stated a complete re-enactment of the Act was crucial to ascertain a authorized framework able to responding to present and future regulatory challenges.
The proposed laws would strengthen NAFDAC’s investigative and enforcement powers, together with authorising designated officers to examine premises and autos, seize and detain unlawful merchandise, seal offending services and procure related courtroom orders.
It would additionally revise the company’s institutional construction, replace the composition of its governing council, strengthen accountability mechanisms and modernise its funding and monetary administration preparations.
According to Sadiq, the modifications would enhance regulatory effectivity whereas guaranteeing that enforcement actions adjust to due course of and constitutional safeguards.
He added that the proposed legislation would remove inconsistencies and supply a clearer framework for regulators, producers, healthcare professionals, traders and the courts.
“Ultimately, this bill is about protecting the lives and health of Nigerians, strengthening confidence in our healthcare system, promoting local manufacturing, facilitating legitimate commerce, improving regulatory efficiency, and ensuring that Nigeria’s food and drug regulatory framework remains responsive to evolving global realities and challenges,” he stated.
The Senate additionally acquired the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to broaden the bureau’s mandate past aviation to cowl maritime and different transport incidents.
The invoice additionally proposes transferring oversight of the bureau to the Presidency and strengthening its institutional, operational and administrative framework.
It was referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for additional legislative motion.
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