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| Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations |
Abuja - The Federal Government has authorised a compulsory pre-employment drug testing regime for all applicants seeking positions within the Nigerian Public Service, in a move aimed at strengthening workforce integrity and addressing rising concerns over substance abuse.
The directive, issued on Monday by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), mandates that prospective civil servants must undergo mandatory drug screening as part of the recruitment process. Government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) have been instructed to embed the requirement into their hiring procedures with immediate effect.
In an official statement, Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations at the OSGF, explained that the policy forms part of broader efforts to curb the “growing menace of illicit drug use” and mitigate its adverse effects on national development, workplace productivity, public health and security.
Under the new arrangement, Permanent Secretaries and heads of extra-ministerial departments and parastatals are expected to ensure that all prospective recruits are screened in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), adhering to established testing standards and protocols.
Officials say the policy underscores the government’s commitment to fostering a drug-free public service and protecting institutional integrity. The move builds on recent anti-drug initiatives across the public sector, including similar directives issued by federal agencies to enforce drug screening for specific recruitment exercises in 2025.
While comprehensive implementation details are yet to be publicly released, stakeholders across government and civil society are expected to engage on practical measures to integrate the new requirement into existing recruitment frameworks, with particular emphasis on fairness, transparency and accessibility.
Source: Punch
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