The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission have deepened collaboration against drug cartels destabilizing West Africa, with NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), hosting NACOC Director General, Brig. Gen. Maxwell Obuba Mantey, on a study tour in Abuja on Tuesday, 5 May 2026. Marwa said the new partnership should serve as a warning to cartels, stating, “Nigeria and Ghana stand united. We will continue to innovate, collaborate, and dominate the tactical space until our streets and communities are safe.”
The visit featured knowledge exchange on NDLEA’s digital forensics, organizational best practices, and emerging trafficking trends affecting the West African corridor. A key highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on combating illicit production of psychotropic substances, their precursors, and related money laundering. Marwa described the MoU as moving the relationship “from informal consultation to a structured, aggressive, and unified front against drug barons.”
Brig. Gen. Mantey said Nigeria is regarded as an “elder brother” and that the visit strengthens an already solid foundation between both agencies. He noted Ghana faces increasingly sophisticated trafficking methods, greater reliance on maritime corridors, synthetic drugs, and a growing domestic drug problem. Mantey stressed the MoU must deliver “real, measurable outcomes” through stronger intelligence sharing, joint operations, and training exchanges. The ceremony was attended by Acting Ghanaian High Commissioner Dr. Gladys Mansa Yawa Feddy Akyea, NACOC delegates, and NDLEA top management.
