Accra Hosts High-Level Talks on West Africa’s Drug Markets

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By Makiza Micheline Latifa

Senior officials, security experts, and international partners have gathered in Accra for a two-day Regional High-Level Dialogue on Drug Markets in West Africa, aimed at strengthening the region’s response to synthetic drugs, cocaine trafficking, and the illicit financial flows that enable organised crime.

The meetings opened on Thursday at the Marriott Hotel with technical consultations involving specialists and policymakers from across the sub-region. These sessions are expected to shape the recommendations that will guide the high-level ministerial discussions.

Jointly hosted by the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Government of the Netherlands and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), the dialogue comes at a crucial moment as West Africa faces increasingly sophisticated drug trafficking networks. The opening discussions centred on the expansion of synthetic drug production, the growing use of the region as a transit hub for cocaine, and the financial systems exploited by criminal groups.

Director General of the Narcotics Control Commission of Ghana, Brigadier General Maxwell Mantey, underscored the urgency of the initiative, stressing that the region can no longer afford fragmented responses.

“The drug threats confronting West Africa are evolving faster than many of our institutions can respond,” he said. “This dialogue is vital because it allows us to align strategies, share intelligence, and develop collective resilience. No single country can combat this alone.”

Speaking at the event, Deputy Director General of Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Netherlands Joost Flamand, highlighted the importance of global collaboration in tackling the drug economy.

“What we are seeing today are criminal networks that operate across borders without hesitation,” he noted. “Our response must be equally coordinated. Strengthening regional cooperation and building intelligence-sharing mechanisms will be key to dismantling these networks.”

The ECOWAS Commission also stressed the need for harmonised action among member states. Daniel Amankwaah, Principal Program Officer for Law Enforcement (Drugs), called for a unified approach grounded in data and practical cooperation.

“Drug trafficking in West Africa is no longer a national problem, it is a regional challenge with regional consequences,” Amankwaah said. “We need stronger cross-border collaboration, real-time information exchange, and commitment from every member state to make our efforts effective.”

The event also featured a high-level panel discussion on mapping synthetic drug markets in West Africa, which formally launched the region’s new baseline study on synthetic drugs. The study draws on extensive consultations with regional experts to provide a preliminary mapping of synthetic drug production, trafficking, and consumption across West Africa.

Panelists, including Nigeria Research Coordinator of the Observatory of Illicit Economies in West Africa (GI-TOC), Kingsley Madueke, member of the Social Linkages for Youth Development and Child Link, Sierra Leone, Habib Taitore Kamara, Director of Forensic and Chemical Monitoring at Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Patricia Afolabi, and and Expert at the Permanent Secretariat of the Interministerial Commission for Combating the Abuse of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (SP-CILAS), Benin, Arouna Sabi Yo reflected on emerging trends such as the rise of methamphetamine production, widespread tramadol misuse, and the appearance of new synthetic substances. They emphasized that evidence-based policy and coordinated interventions will be critical to addressing these challenges.

With Day One of technical consultations now wrapped up, stakeholders say the groundwork has been laid for Friday’s ministerial-level dialogue. The expectation is that the commitments made here in Accra will pave the way for more coordinated and impactful action across West Africa in the months ahead.