The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has commenced nationwide training for more than 100 counsellors to standardise treatment practices and strengthen clinical skills for addressing substance use disorders in Nigeria.
The training, which began at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State, is being coordinated by the agency’s Directorate of Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation (DCTR).
Counsellors drawn from NDLEA formations across the country are participating in the programme, which the agency described as its first major, agency-driven capacity-building exercise for counsellors in several years.
The programme is designed to harmonise counselling practices, standardise operational protocols and improve clinical competencies in line with national and international standards for drug demand reduction.
Speaking at the opening of Phase One, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), said; “the initiative was critical to improving staff capacity and the quality of rehabilitation services.”
Marwa, who was represented by the Director of Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation, ACGN Bashir Ibrahim, said; “counsellors required modern therapeutic tools to respond effectively to increasingly complex substance use disorders.”
He described the training as a reaffirmation of the rehabilitation component of the NDLEA’s mandate, noting that “it would help ensure that clients receive evidence-based and quality interventions across the agency’s facilities.”
According to him, “the programme would strengthen counsellors’ capacity to manage emerging psychoactive substances and co-occurring mental health disorders, while promoting professional ethics, confidentiality and quality assurance.”
The training will also focus on improving data management to support evidence-based policymaking and strengthening continuous professional development among counsellors.
The agency said peer review and clinical supervision would form part of the training approach to improve professional standards and reduce inconsistencies in service delivery across its rehabilitation facilities.
Marwa said the initiative would contribute to better rehabilitation outcomes and help build a resilient and well-equipped counselling workforce capable of responding to Nigeria’s drug demand reduction needs.
He assured that the agency would continue to invest in staff development as part of its broader strategy to address both drug supply and demand.
The NDLEA combines drug law enforcement with demand reduction interventions, including treatment and rehabilitation services for people affected by substance use.
The training is expected to improve the quality of care provided at its rehabilitation facilities and promote more consistent treatment practices nationwide.
 has commenced nationwide training for more than 100 counsellors to standardise treatment practices and strengthen clinical skills for addressing substance use disorders in Nigeria.){kind=link}