More than 2.5 million kilograms of illicit drugs were intercepted at Nigeria’s seaports over a five-year period, according to data released by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The figures show that 2,553,132.90 kilograms of narcotics were seized between 2021 and 2025, with an estimated street value exceeding N3 trillion — marking one of the most significant crackdowns on maritime drug trafficking in the country’s history.
NDLEA statistics reveal fluctuating seizure patterns over the period. Confiscations stood at 96,690.90 kg in 2021 before dropping sharply to 20,296.70 kg in 2022. The figure rose to 86,169.54 kg in 2023, then surged dramatically to 1,745,422.75 kg in 2024, the highest on record, before easing to 605,553.01 kg in 2025.
A breakdown by port shows varying trends across Nigeria’s maritime gateways.
“A port-by-port breakdown reveals that Apapa Port recorded seizures of 33,540 kg in 2021, 17,759.74 kg in 2022, 85,491.59 kg in 2023, 54,116.17 kg in 2024, and 153,028.19 kg in 2025. At Tin Can Island Port, seizures rose from 22,725.60 kg in 2021 to 1,881.80 kg in 2022 and 654.40 kg in 2023, before exploding to 454,586.54 kg in 2024. The command recorded 30,815.21 kg in 2025,” the data stated.
The Port Harcourt Seaport Command recorded some of the sharpest swings, moving from 40,425.30 kg in 2021 and 143.83 kg in 2022 to just 23.55 kg in 2023, before surging to 1,227,595.42 kg in 2024 and 410,553.61 kg in 2025. Marine operations also intensified, with the Marine Command intercepting 9,121.49 kg in 2024 and 11,156 kg in 2025, reflecting expanded monitoring of coastal and inland waterways.
Commenting on the figures, NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the data reflects sustained intelligence-led enforcement across seaports. He noted that the agency has strengthened container tracking, risk profiling and inter-agency collaboration to dismantle maritime trafficking networks. Babafemi explained that traffickers increasingly exploit containerised cargo and vessel movements to move bulk shipments, but stressed that intensified operations have significantly increased the risks and costs for criminal syndicates.
Further analysis shows the financial impact of the seizures is substantial. NDLEA valuation benchmarks estimate one kilogramme of cocaine at between N800 million and N1 billion, while methamphetamine ranges from N400 million to N600 million per kilogramme. Although cannabis, tramadol, codeine and other controlled substances attract lower unit prices, their large volumes drive overall valuations upward.
The agency said the 2024 spike and continued high interceptions in 2025 indicate traffickers are being forced into riskier operations amid tighter port controls and improved intelligence coordination. Babafemi added that Nigeria’s seaports would remain hostile territory for drug traffickers regardless of the scale or sophistication of their operations.
