NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi says anyone convicted of importing hard drugs into Nigeria would face life imprisonment under his proposed administration if he wins the 2027 presidential election.
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has promised to introduce tougher punishment for people involved in importing hard drugs into Nigeria if he is elected president in 2027.
Obi made the pledge on Saturday, September 19, during a town hall meeting with NDC members, supporters and other Nigerians in Kaduna State.
The former Anambra State governor said the country needed stronger measures to tackle the impact of illicit drugs, particularly on young people.
“If I assume office as President of Nigeria, anybody importing hard drugs will face a life sentence.”
Obi added that Nigerian youths had suffered significantly because of hard drugs and argued that those responsible for bringing such substances into the country should face severe consequences.
Obi calls for tougher drug-trafficking laws
The proposed punishment formed part of Obi's wider comments on drug abuse, youth unemployment and economic development during the Kaduna engagement.
He said Nigeria's existing laws were not adequate enough to deter people involved in importing illicit drugs and argued that tougher legislation would be necessary.
“If I become president, drugs will fetch life sentence,” Obi said, according to reports of the town hall. He also said people dealing in drugs that could harm young Nigerians should face life imprisonment.
The proposal would represent a significant policy position on drug trafficking if pursued by a future administration. However, a new criminal penalty would require the appropriate legislative and legal process before it could become enforceable.
Obi links drug abuse to youth unemployment
During the Kaduna meeting, Obi also connected the country's drug problem with the lack of economic opportunities available to young Nigerians.
He argued that providing young people with productive activities would form part of the response to drug abuse.
The NDC candidate said his proposed administration would encourage young Nigerians to engage in agriculture and small businesses while supporting them with opportunities to earn a living.
“We will help the youths to find something to do. We will make sure they go back to farm.”
He also said his administration would encourage young people to return to small businesses and educate them about the effects of drugs.
Obi presented the approach as part of a broader plan to move Nigeria away from what he described as a consumption-based economy towards production, investment and job creation.
Existing laws already impose severe penalties
Nigeria already has laws providing substantial penalties for drug-related offences, meaning Obi's proposal would involve changing or strengthening the existing legal framework rather than creating drug-trafficking offences from scratch.
The debate over tougher drug penalties has previously reached the National Assembly.
In 2024, Obi himself called for stringent punishment for drug traffickers, while the Senate considered a proposal to make death the maximum punishment for drug trafficking. That proposal generated debate over deterrence, proportionality and the risk of wrongful convictions.
Obi's latest proposal is specifically focused on life imprisonment for people importing hard drugs, rather than the death penalty.
The distinction is important because the statement does not amount to an immediate change in Nigerian law. It is a campaign pledge made ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi also discusses youth employment
Drug policy was one part of a broader set of issues Obi addressed in Kaduna.
The NDC candidate said unemployment was contributing to several social problems and promised to create more opportunities for young Nigerians.
He said government borrowing under his proposed administration would be directed toward productive investment rather than consumption.
“We’re no longer going to borrow money for consumption. We want to move Nigeria from consumption to production.”
He argued that investment in agriculture, small businesses and other productive sectors would help create jobs and give young Nigerians alternatives to illicit activities.
Obi also compared Nigeria with Indonesia, arguing that the Southeast Asian country's stronger employment of young people was one factor behind its economic performance. The figures and comparison were presented by Obi during the political gathering.
A campaign pledge ahead of 2027
The Kaduna town hall was part of Obi's political engagements ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Obi is running on the NDC platform alongside Rabiu Kwankwaso, who is his running mate. His campaign has emphasised production, investment, job creation, agriculture, security and human-capital development.
His latest drug-policy pledge adds tougher punishment for drug importation to those positions.
Obi also urged politicians to avoid making promises they cannot fulfil if elected, calling for campaigns to focus on practical solutions to Nigeria's problems.
He separately pledged that, if elected, he would spend his annual holidays in Nigeria rather than abroad and use the periods to visit communities facing insecurity and other difficulties.
What the proposal would mean
If implemented, a life-imprisonment provision for hard-drug importation would require legislative action and would have to operate within Nigeria's constitutional and criminal-justice framework.
It would also raise questions about the precise definition of “hard drugs,” the offences covered, evidentiary requirements and whether the proposed penalty would apply to importers regardless of the quantity involved.
Those details were not set out in Obi's Kaduna remarks as reported by the media.
For now, the proposal remains a campaign commitment rather than an enacted policy.
Obi's statement nevertheless places drug trafficking and youth drug abuse among the issues he intends to address as part of his 2027 presidential campaign.
