The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has unveiled an Alternative Development Pilot Project to transform communities involved in illicit cannabis cultivation into hubs of legal agriculture and sustainable livelihoods.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), NDLEA Chairman, announced the initiative on Tuesday during a town hall meeting in Akure, Ondo State.
He emphasized that the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, focusing on empowerment, food security, and economic opportunity rather than enforcement and arrests.
“We are here to establish alternatives to illicit cropping and ensure a smooth transition to sustainable livelihoods and food security,” Marwa said.
“This project is community-driven, inclusive, and empowerment-focused—it is not a tool for detention or arrests.”
The initiative targets willing communities, offering crop substitution options such as Artemisia Annua, a medicinal plant with malaria treatment benefits, which Marwa noted has higher economic value than cannabis.
“Illicit drugs generate profits, but the communities where they are grown remain poor, insecure, and environmentally degraded,” he added.
Marwa also highlighted the broader implications of drug cultivation, linking it to insecurity and criminal financing. He urged traditional rulers, youth leaders, women’s groups, religious institutions, and market associations to take ownership of the programme to ensure long-term sustainability.
Ondo State Governor, Dr. Lucky Ayedatiwa, pledged full support for the pilot project, including the provision of land, seeds, and seedlings to participating communities.
“We are ready to collaborate to stem drug abuse and promote lawful economic opportunities for our youths,” he said.
Traditional institutions also endorsed the project. Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, Olowo of Owo and Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Traditional Rulers, encouraged youths to embrace the initiative, calling it a better and lawful alternative to illicit drug cultivation.
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The pilot programme will initially roll out in three communities in Ondo State, after which NDLEA will assess the results and develop recommendations for nationwide expansion.
Marwa concluded by underscoring the agency’s vision: “Enforcement alone cannot solve the problem of illicit drug cultivation. By providing economic alternatives, we aim to break the cycle of poverty, crime, and insecurity linked to illicit drugs.”
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