President Bola Tinubu has asked the House of Representatives to approve three executive bills proposing a unified legal framework for drug enforcement, expanding the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau’s (NSIB) mandate to cover rail and maritime incidents, and replacing the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) with a National School of Government.
The bills, dated October 12, 2026, were transmitted to the House in three separate letters read by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas during plenary on Thursday. The Office of the Speaker received the letters on October 13.
Tinubu said the proposals were submitted pursuant to Section 58(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and urged lawmakers to give them “expeditious consideration”.
One of the proposals, the NDLEA Bill, 2026, seeks to repeal the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, Cap N30, and the Indian Hemp Act, Cap 16, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, replacing them with a consolidated framework for drug law enforcement.
In his letter, the President said the proposed legislation would establish a unified legal basis for tackling the “cultivation, processing, sale, trafficking and use of hard drugs”.
It would also empower the agency to investigate people suspected of involvement in drug-related activities.
The NDLEA is responsible for combating illicit drug production and trafficking, investigating drug offences and enforcing laws governing controlled substances. The proposed bill would bring provisions currently spread across separate laws under one statutory framework, subject to legislative approval.
Another proposal, the NSIB Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (Establishment) Act, No. 35 of 2022, to extend the agency’s responsibilities beyond aviation accidents and incidents.
Under the amendment, the bureau would become an independent, multimodal safety investigation authority covering rail, maritime and other transport occurrences. The proposal would also transfer supervisory oversight to the Presidency and strengthen the bureau’s institutional, operational and administrative powers.
Tinubu said the amendment was intended “to reposition the Bureau as an independent multimodal safety investigation authority” and expand its remit beyond aviation.
The NSIB was established to investigate accidents and incidents, determine their causes and make safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences. If the amendment is passed, its statutory responsibilities would extend to investigations involving other transport modes, including rail and maritime operations.
The third bill, 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 a new institution known as the National School of Government, Nigeria.
According to Tinubu, the proposed school would serve as a national institution for “leadership, development, policy delivery and executive capacity building”.
The institution would focus on leadership development, improving the skills of public officials and strengthening policy implementation across government.
ASCON currently provides management training, research and consultancy services for public- and private-sector organisations. The proposed replacement signals a move towards a wider framework for leadership training and executive capacity development in the public service.
If enacted, the new legislation would establish the legal basis for the school and define its functions and institutional arrangements.
The three bills will now undergo the House of Representatives’ legislative process, including scrutiny by relevant committees. Their transmission marks the start of that process, and the proposed changes will not take effect unless they secure the necessary legislative approval and satisfy the constitutional requirements for enactment.
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