The Federal Government has approved mandatory pre-employment drug testing for all applicants seeking jobs in Nigeria’s federal public service

The Federal Government has approved mandatory pre-employment drug testing for all applicants seeking jobs in Nigeria’s federal public service

The directive was contained in a service wide circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). 

The circular instructs Permanent Secretaries and heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as extra-ministerial departments and parastatals, to integrate drug screening into their recruitment processes.

Under the new policy, all MDAs are required to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to carry out the tests in line with approved standards and procedures.
According to the government, the decision was prompted by concerns over the “alarming rate” of drug abuse, particularly among young Nigerians.