About 2,553,132.90 kilograms of illicit drugs were confiscated at Nigerian seaports between 2021 and 2025, according to data released by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Findings show that the seized drugs are valued at over N3 trillion, highlighting the huge financial impact on trafficking networks operating through the country’s maritime routes.
The latest NDLEA statistics indicate that the seizures were recorded across major seaports and marine commands nationwide. The figures reveal both the scale of drug trafficking through Nigeria’s maritime gateways and the intensity of enforcement operations over the five-year period.
According to the data, 96,690.90 kilograms of illicit drugs were seized in 2021. The figure dropped sharply to 20,296.70 kilograms in 2022, before rising again to 86,169.54 kilograms in 2023.
However, interceptions surged dramatically in 2024, reaching an all-time high of 1,745,422.75 kilograms. The volume later declined but remained significantly high at 605,553.01 kilograms in 2025.
A port-by-port breakdown shows that Apapa Port recorded seizures of 33,540 kilograms in 2021, 17,759.74 kilograms in 2022, and 85,491.59 kilograms in 2023. The figure stood at 54,116.17 kilograms in 2024 before increasing to 153,028.19 kilograms in 2025.
At Tin Can Island Port, seizures rose from 22,725.60 kilograms in 2021 to 1,881.80 kilograms in 2022, before dropping to 654.40 kilograms in 2023. The port later recorded a dramatic spike to 454,586.54 kilograms in 2024, while 30,815.21 kilograms were intercepted in 2025.
The Port Harcourt Seaport Command posted some of the most striking figures during the period under review. Seizures moved from 40,425.30 kilograms in 2021 to 143.83 kilograms in 2022 and 23.55 kilograms in 2023. The figure then skyrocketed to 1,227,595.42 kilograms in 2024, before dropping to 410,553.61 kilograms in 2025.
Marine operations also intensified within the period. The Marine Command recorded 9,121.49 kilograms in 2024 and 11,156 kilograms in 2025, reflecting expanded surveillance across coastal and inland waterways.
Commenting on the figures, the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the statistics demonstrate sustained intelligence-led interdiction operations across Nigeria’s seaports.
Babafemi explained that the agency is working to dismantle maritime drug trafficking routes through improved intelligence gathering, risk profiling, container tracking, and stronger collaboration with other security agencies at the ports.
He noted that traffickers increasingly target seaports for bulk shipments, often concealing narcotics within containerised cargo and vessel movements.
Despite these tactics, Babafemi said enforcement operations have significantly raised the cost and risk of drug trafficking through Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Further checks show that the over 2.55 million kilograms of illicit drugs seized translate into street values running into trillions of naira.
NDLEA valuation benchmarks indicate that one kilogram of cocaine can be worth between N800 million and N1 billion, while methamphetamine sells for between N400 million and N600 million per kilogram.
Although substances such as cannabis sativa, tramadol, codeine, and other controlled pharmaceutical opioids attract lower unit prices, their massive volumes significantly increase the overall value of seizures.
Based on conservative estimates, the total seizures made at the seaports within the five-year period are valued at well over N3 trillion, representing one of the largest financial blows ever dealt to drug trafficking networks operating in and through Nigeria.
Babafemi said the figures expose the scale of attempted drug inflow through Nigeria’s seaports and highlight the strategic importance of maritime interdiction in the country’s broader anti-drug campaign.
He added that the sharp spike recorded in 2024 and the sustained high interceptions in 2025 suggest traffickers are being forced into riskier operations, often leading to catastrophic losses due to tighter port controls and improved intelligence coordination.
The NDLEA reiterated that Nigeria’s seaports will remain hostile territory for drug traffickers, regardless of the volume, value, or sophistication of their operations.
