Lab discoveries show how Africa became a production site in the global drug trade

From transit to production

Africa was long viewed mainly as a passageway for international drug trafficking. Recent seizures and laboratory discoveries indicate that illicit drugs are also being made in some countries.

Methamphetamine labs have been found in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya and Mozambique. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime says synthetic drug production increasingly involves cross-border criminal networks and clandestine labs serving local and international markets.

A major Nigerian seizure

The issue drew renewed attention this year when Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency dismantled what it called the country’s largest clandestine methamphetamine laboratory. The operation took place in Ogun State, in southwestern Nigeria, and led to 10 arrests.

DW correspondent Olisa Chukwumah said the discovery prompted questions about local consumption as production takes place in Nigeria. He added that the scale and sophistication of recent operations suggest manufacturing networks are becoming more established.

Changing drug use and its effects

Dokun Adedeji, co-founder of the Compassionate Care Recovery Initiative, said Nigeria’s drug landscape had changed over the past decade. He described a progression from transit country to consumer country and now, with production sites emerging, to production country.

Adedeji said laboratories’ effects include school dropouts, family breakdowns, mental health challenges and rising criminal activity. Stigma and fear of public judgment can make families reluctant to seek help.

The UNODC reports that 34% of people in Africa receiving treatment for drug-use disorders are younger than 25. Alongside cannabis, use of synthetic substances such as methamphetamine, known on the streets as “ice,” is increasing; misuse of prescription medicines and experimentation with dangerous inhalants have also been reported.

Enforcement and broader responses

Nigeria’s drug enforcement agency has stepped up its work in recent years, resulting in high-profile seizures and arrests. NGOs have also expanded awareness campaigns, particularly at universities, where drug use is becoming more visible.

Chukwumah said there is no coordinated, top-down policy approach and that civil society groups carry out much of the awareness work. Adedeji argued that punishment-only policies can drive people who use drugs underground, making it harder for authorities and healthcare providers to offer support. The UNODC and civil society groups support a wider response that goes beyond law enforcement.