The National Assembly is once again considering legislation to legalize cannabis for medicinal and economic use, according to former Senator Athan Nneji Achonu. Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Achonu said lawmakers are currently working on a bill that would provide legal backing for the cultivation and processing of cannabis under strict regulation.
Achonu, who sponsored a similar bill during his time in the Senate, described cannabis as “green gold” and warned that Nigeria is “sleeping on a multi-trillion-naira opportunity” while other countries move ahead. He said his recent interactions with members of the current National Assembly confirmed that a bill seeking legislative backing for both medicinal and economic uses of cannabis is in the works.
Proponents argue that legalizing cannabis could drive economic diversification, create jobs, attract foreign investment, and strengthen medical research. Achonu pointed to the global legal cannabis market, projected to exceed $100 billion before the end of the decade, noting that countries like the US, Canada, Germany, Israel, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe are already benefiting. He said Nigeria has the right climate, fertile soil, and manpower to dominate the industry.
The push is not new. In 2020 and 2022, bills were introduced in the House of Representatives to regulate the cultivation, possession, and trade of cannabis for medical and research use. Those bills were stepped down after strong opposition from lawmakers and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA. Deputy Speaker Ahmed Wase and Majority Whip Mohammed Monguno argued that legalization could worsen drug abuse among youths and fuel insecurity. NDLEA Chairman Gen. Buba Marwa warned that legalizing cannabis would be “a disaster” given Nigeria’s 10.6 million cannabis abusers and ongoing insecurity.
The NDLEA has consistently maintained that cannabis remains the most abused illicit drug in Nigeria and cannot be permitted for cultivation, sale, or use under any guise. Opponents also say Nigeria lacks the pharmaceutical capacity to harness cannabis medicinally and needs stricter regulation to prevent abuse….See More
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