The Federal Government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for all prospective applicants into the Nigerian public service.
The policy, it was gathered, is part of efforts to curb the rising incidence of illicit drug use and to safeguard national productivity, public trust and security.
The directive was conveyed in a service-wide circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and addressed to permanent secretaries, heads of extra-ministerial departments and chief executives of parastatals.
Under the new policy, drug testing will become a compulsory requirement for recruitment into all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
A statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the OSGF, Segun Imohiosen, explained that MDAs are to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in conducting the tests, in line with approved standards and procedures.
According to the circular, the decision forms part of the current administration’s broader resolve to tackle drug and substance abuse and to shield the public service from practices considered detrimental to efficiency, discipline and institutional integrity.
It warned that drug abuse poses serious risks to public health, workplace productivity, socio-economic development and national security, noting growing concerns that substance abuse within the public sector could undermine service delivery and weaken government capacity to achieve its development goals.
The circular stressed that the introduction of compulsory drug testing at the entry point into public service is not intended as a punitive measure, but rather as a preventive strategy aimed at promoting a healthy, disciplined and dependable workforce capable of driving sustainable national development.
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