International Law and Drug Trafficking: Nigeria’s Compliance with the UN Drug Control Conventions

This study examines Nigeria's compliance with the United Nations drug control conventions, particularly the 1988 Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, in the context of Nigeria's position as both a transit and consumer country for illicit drugs. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intensified enforcement operations in recent years, particularly targeting drug trafficking networks in Lagos (South West) and Kano (North West). Using a descriptive legal methodology, the paper analyses the obligations imposed by the 1961, 1971, and 1988 UN drug conventions and assesses Nigeria's institutional response through the NDLEA, the judiciary, and international cooperation arrangements. It evaluates the adequacy of Nigeria's Dangerous Drugs Act and the NDLEA Act in meeting international standards, including provisions on mutual legal assistance, extradition, and the criminalisation of money laundering proceeds from drug trafficking. The paper also examines the public health dimensions of drug policy, noting the emerging tension in international law between a criminalisation approach and harm reduction frameworks. Findings indicate that while NDLEA has achieved notable enforcement successes, gaps in inter-agency coordination, limited forensic capacity, and sentencing inconsistencies undermine the effectiveness of Nigeria's drug control regime. Recommendations include enhanced NDLEA capacity building, ratification of pending mutual legal assistance treaties, and legislative review to align with contemporary international drug policy trends. Keywords: drug trafficking, NDLEA, UN drug conventions, Nigeria, international cooperation.