It mandates Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Parastatals to make drug testing a core requirement in the recruitment of new personnel.
The President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for all prospective applicants into the Nigerian Public Service, as part of renewed efforts to combat the growing challenge of illicit drug and substance abuse in the country.
The directive was issued through a service-wide circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), including extra-ministerial departments, on Monday, December 22, 2025.
It mandates Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Parastatals to make drug testing a core requirement in the recruitment of new personnel.
According to the circular, MDAs are required to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in conducting the tests, in line with established standards and procedures.
"The directive on the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing to prospective applicants is premised on the concern raised by the Federal Government on the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse, particularly among the teeming youth in the country, with a disturbing trend and far-reaching implications for public health, socio-economic development, workplace productivity, and national security," the circular said.
The government said the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing, the circular added, aligns with the determination of the current administration to decisively address the menace of drug abuse and its far-reaching consequences on national development.