NDLEA Launches Crop Substitution Project for Illicit Cannabis Growers

By Oluwakemi Kindness

The Chairman of the National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), says Nigeria’s new Alternative Development Project is designed to end the long-standing conflict between law enforcement and illicit drug cultivators by providing sustainable livelihoods and food security for affected communities.

Marwa made this known on Tuesday, at a town hall meeting in Akure, Ondo State, where the NDLEA officially launched the Alternative Development Pilot Project.

The initiative focuses on replacing illicit cannabis cultivation with legal, high-value food and cash crops, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Bbabafemi, qoutes Marwa, as saying enforcement alone cannot solve the problem of illicit drug cultivation.

“We are here to establish alternatives to illicit cropping and ensure a smooth transition to sustainable livelihoods and food security,” he said, stressing that the project is community-driven, inclusive, and empowerment-focused, not a tool for arrests or detention.

He explains that the programme targets willing communities, offering crop substitution options such as Artemisia Annua, which he said has higher economic value than cannabis and medicinal benefits, including malaria treatment.

“Illicit drugs generate profits, but the communities where they are grown remain poor, insecure, and environmentally degraded,” Marwa noted.

The NDLEA boss also highlighted the link between drugs and insecurity, noting that criminal groups use drugs to fund and carry out violent activities. He called on traditional rulers, youths, women groups, religious leaders, and market associations to take ownership of the initiative to ensure its sustainability.

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Ayedatiwa, welcomed the pilot project and pledged full state support, including land allocation, clearing, seeds, and seedlings to participating communities.

“We are ready to collaborate to stem drug abuse and promote lawful economic opportunities for our youths,” the governor said.

Traditional institutions also backed the initiative. The Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, urged youths to embrace the programme, describing it as a better and lawful alternative to illicit drug cultivation.

The pilot project will begin in three communities in Ondo State, after which NDLEA will assess outcomes and make recommendations for nationwide expansion.