President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, 13 October, 2026 transmitted three Executive Bills to the House of Representatives, seeking a new legal framework for drug law enforcement, an expanded mandate for the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and the establishment of a National School of Government.
The bills, dated October 12, 2026, were conveyed in three separate letters read by the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, during plenary on Thursday.
The letters, marked “Restricted”, were received by the Office of the Speaker on October 13.
Tinubu said the bills were forwarded pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and urged the lawmakers to give them “expeditious consideration.”
The proposed legislation covers the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau and the establishment of a National School of Government to replace the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria.
The NDLEA Bill, 2026, seeks to repeal the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and replace them with a consolidated legal framework for drug law enforcement.
In his letter, Tinubu said the bill “seeks to repeal the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30 and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap 16” and “enact a consolidated framework to enforce the law against the cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of hard drugs.”
He added that the proposed law would “empower the Agency to investigate persons suspected to have dealings in drugs.”
The bill is expected to provide a unified statutory framework for the agency’s operations, bringing provisions currently contained in separate laws under a single legal instrument.
The NDLEA is responsible for combating illicit drug production and trafficking, investigating drug-related offences and enforcing relevant laws. Its operations also include efforts to curb the distribution of controlled substances and dismantle drug trafficking networks.
The proposed legislation would be subject to legislative scrutiny before any changes to the existing legal framework could take effect.
The NSIB Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the NSIB (Establishment) Act, No 35 of 2022, to expand the agency’s responsibilities beyond aviation accidents and incidents.
Under the proposal, the bureau would become an independent, multimodal safety investigation authority covering rail, maritime and other transport occurrences.
Tinubu said the amendment aims “to reposition the Bureau as an independent multimodal safety investigation authority, expand its mandate beyond aviation to encompass rail, maritime and other transport occurrences, transfer supervisory oversight to the Presidency, and strengthen its institutional, operational and administrative mandates.”
The proposed expansion would give the bureau a broader role in investigating transport-related accidents and incidents across different modes of transportation.
ASCON, established to provide management training, research and consultancy services for public- and private-sector organisations, has played a role in developing the skills of administrators and managers.
The proposed replacement signals a move towards a broader institutional framework for leadership training and executive capacity development within the public service.
If enacted, the new law would provide the statutory basis for the National School of Government and determine its functions and institutional arrangements.
The three bills will now undergo the House of Representatives’ legislative process, including consideration of their provisions by the relevant committees.
Their transmission to the National Assembly marks the beginning of the legislative process; the proposed changes will require the approval of the legislature and completion of the constitutional requirements for enactment before they become law.
The NSIB was established under the 2022 Act as an independent body responsible for investigating accidents and incidents, identifying their causes and making safety recommendations to prevent future occurrences.
Extending its mandate to rail and maritime transport would bring investigations in those sectors within the bureau’s statutory responsibilities, subject to the provisions of the proposed amendment.
The proposed transfer of supervisory oversight to the Presidency is also intended to alter the bureau’s institutional arrangements.
The third proposal, the National School of Government Bill, 2026, seeks to repeal the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria Act, Cap A4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and establish the National School of Government, Nigeria.
According to Tinubu, the bill would “enact the National School of Government Act to establish the National School of Government, Nigeria, as a national institution for leadership, development, policy delivery and executive capacity building.”
The proposed institution would focus on leadership development, strengthening the capacity of public officials and improving policy implementation across government.
Source: The Punch online
