Drug Traffickers Using Courier Services to Smuggle Narcotics in Nigeria

Dispatch riders are now an essential component of urban life in Lagos’s busy city. These riders maneuver through clogged highways with amazing agility, delivering documents, packages, and food orders to homes and offices as the city’s infamous traffic jams hinder progress and annoy everyday commuters. In a fast-paced economy where time is of the essence, their services have become the lifeblood of convenience.

The contribution of dispatch riders to Nigeria’s economy is indisputable, ranging from e-commerce deliveries to in-office dispatch services. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that between 2020 and 2023, Nigeria’s logistics and courier subsector expanded by more than 35% due to the growth of the gig economy and the increase in online purchasing. Dispatch riding serves as both a source of income and a way out of unemployment for a large number of young Nigerians.

But there is a dangerous undercurrent that could contaminate this essential function. A troubling tendency has been discovered by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA): dispatch riders are being utilized as unwary or willing couriers in drug trafficking operations.

Riders as Drug Couriers: A Growing Concern

On July 30, 2025, NDLEA agents conducted intelligence-driven stop-and-search operations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa. Three dispatch riders, Sabo Sule (24), Samuel Nnamdi (28), and Idris Jibrin (28), were arrested by the agency for distributing 149.8 grams of the strong cannabis strain known as “Canadian Loud.” Two days later, two further suspects carrying 91.1 kg of “skunk” cannabis were apprehended along the Abaji–Gwagwalada Expressway.

A dispatch rider named Joseph Michael was caught in Mushin with 3.3 kg of the synthetic cannabis strain “Colorado,” according to the NDLEA in Lagos. Another suspect, Ibrahim Sulaiman, was nabbed in Iwaya-Yaba with 16.5 liters of “skuchies,” a cannabis-based beverage.

According to the FBI, some of these riders either deliberately engage in drug trafficking or are tricked by criminal clients who hide illegal goods inside delivery-related packages.

The situation is “an emerging trend that calls for strict regulation and collaboration between transport authorities, courier companies, and law enforcement,” according to NDLEA Chairman Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd).

Why the Danger?

Dispatch riders are especially susceptible to being infiltrated by drug traffickers and other criminal networks due to a number of characteristics.

First, the characteristics that make them an effective service Additionally, providers make them appealing tools for traffickers. They can park near destinations, deliver products quickly without attracting too much notice, and maneuver through crowded metropolitan roadways thanks to their mobility, agility, and low profile. Such mobility provides cover that traffickers can readily use to hide illegal activity in urban areas like Lagos, where speed is valued.

Second, the nation’s regulatory inadequacies have made it easy for misuse to occur. Dispatch riders operate with little regulation in many countries, which makes it simple for illegal actors to pass for authorized couriers. For example, due to ongoing non-compliance with regulations, the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was forced to halt the registration of new dispatch riders in February 2024. Many of the 2,500 riders who the directorate had already cleared were discovered to be rowdy or untraceable. This highlights the industry’s more general regulatory flaws.

The informality of the business concept is another major weakness. Small-scale businesses and independent contractors operating on cash-based contracts with minimal documentation dominate Nigeria’s delivery industry. Law enforcement agencies find it challenging to detect suspicious deliveries or follow financial trails associated with drug movements in the absence of established contracts, traceable payment mechanisms, and verified customer identities. Because the activity is cash-driven and informal, traffickers can easily blend in with the official courier network.

Inadequate monitoring during activities at night also increases the risk. Due to the lack of control, many riders work late into the night or at dawn. Only recently, in September 2025, did the State Ministry of Transportation in Lagos require all riders to wear visibility tapes and reflective jackets during nighttime operations. This action unintentionally brought attention to the magnitude of previous regulatory neglect. These nocturnal deliveries frequently offer traffickers a convenient opening to move illegal substances under the pretense of legitimate business if they are not properly supervised.

Oversight and Regulatory Web Deficits

The Lagos State Ministry of Transport is in charge of traffic control and motorcycle operational safety, but it has no authority to examine or confirm the goods that courier riders are transporting.

The restrictions were acknowledged when speaking with the Ministry’s Director of Transport Operations, Engineer Olasunkanmi Ojowuro.

He said, “The movement of goods and services, including motorcycles used for courier logistics, is managed by the Lagos Ministry of Transport.” But our job is to make sure the motorcycle is in good condition, that it is safe to ride, and that the user follows all safety regulations. We are not structurally equipped to check what they are transporting.

Ojowuro admitted that NDLEA reports on dispatch riders engaged in drug trafficking are known to the ministry.

He stated, “We are collaborating with other organizations, such as the Ministry of Health and the police.” “The police are entitled to inspect a courier’s or logistics rider’s package. Our ability to check that is limited.

His remarks draw attention to a crucial regulatory void. While organizations like NIPOST’s Courier and Logistics Regulatory Department (CLRD) are in charge of regulating courier businesses, the ministry concentrates on operational compliance and vehicle safety. However, the emergence of unofficial, unregistered operators—many of whom operate independently without corporate affiliation—has created a vulnerability that criminal networks take advantage of.

Ojowuro said, “There are so many entities operating now that are illegal and not recognized by the state.” “You are operating unlicensed, and the law will catch up with you if we are unable to identify you on our proposed regulatory app.”

The Pursuit of Order and Technology

The Lagos State Ministry of Transportation is creating a computerized application to monitor and control courier activities in order to bring sanity to the industry. The goal of the program, which is now in the consultative stage, is to combine operators, customers, and the government into a unified monitoring system.

According to Ojowuro, “that app will have an interface with the operator, the customer, and the government.” “The app is three-way. This enables us to track the activities of illicit operators and identify them. The project will follow a public-private partnership (PPP) model, and we are presently in the stakeholder engagement phase.

Safety regulations are also enforced by the ministry. For safety and visibility, particularly at night, all dispatch riders were required to wear luminous jackets in September. He stated, “Some have complied, some have not yet complied.” However, compliance will increase after enforcement begins. It is for the sake of safety.

Criminal Aspects in a Crucial Sector

Ojowuro quickly clarified that not every dispatch rider is involved in illegal activity. He pointed out that “criminal elements exist everywhere in the world and in all sectors.” It can be the user rather than the operator. Someone may wish to transport drugs and fail to disclose the contents of the package to the operator. A large number of riders have no idea what they are delivering.

He proposed that lobbying could lessen the possibility that riders would inadvertently carry illegal goods. They occasionally ask to see what’s inside the package before wrapping it. However, he clarified that this isn’t a typical practice, particularly among informal businesses without offices. Because there are so many actors in that industry, we must organize it as a whole. It puts food on people’s tables and creates jobs.

In fact, according to data from the Courier and Logistics Management Institute (CLMI), there are over 85,000 registered courier riders operating throughout Nigeria, with over 40% of them based in Lagos alone. However, there are more than twice as many informal riders, who operate outside of the legal system and present security and safety hazards.

“Drug traffickers are increasingly exploiting the informal dispatch system due to its anonymity and speed,” stated an NDLEA official who spoke on condition of anonymity. While some riders are totally ignorant of their involvement in illegal conduct, others are paid enormous sums to turn a blind eye.

Security experts caution that dispatch logistics could become a new front for organized crime in the absence of stricter regulations and cooperation between pertinent agencies.

Consequences for Safety and Urban Transportation

The ramifications of dispatch riders infiltrating drug-trafficking networks extend well beyond the realm of criminal justice. It directly affects public trust in one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing microeconomies and urban logistics.

When motorcyclists are linked to drug delivery, there is an instantaneous knock-on effect: people start to suspect every courier on a motorcycle. The delivery economy, which has grown to be essential to city life, especially in cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, is threatened by this erosion of trust.

More concerning, there are serious security and safety issues associated with the clan-destine use of motorcycles for the transportation of illegal drugs. In addition to encouraging crime, the flow of drugs via congested streets raises the risk of violence, theft, and hazardous road chases when law enforcement pursues criminals. Many dispatch riders are at increased risk of accidents, which frequently result in fatalities, because they already have to navigate congested traffic.