Training in IONICS and GRIDS Intel for newly appointed NAFDAC staff in Lagos, Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria, 24 May 2024 - The INCB GRIDS Programme held a specialized training session for newly assigned staff from The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) recently, focusing on the IONICS and GRIDS intelligence platforms. This event was hosted at NAFDAC headquarters in Lagos and aimed at enhancing the agency's capacity to tackle the illicit trafficking of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and synthetic opioids.
Madam PHARM. Yedunni Adenuga, the Director of Narcotics and Controlled Substances at NAFDAC, delivered the welcome address, expressing gratitude to the INCB-GRIDS Programme for facilitating the training. She highlighted the critical importance of this initiative in equipping NAFDAC personnel with the necessary tools and knowledge to curb the supply of NPS and synthetic opioids that have no legitimate use in Nigeria.
The training comprised both theoretical presentations and practical exercises. Participants were introduced to the functionalities of the IONICS and GRIDS tools, which are designed to help users understand and counteract the threats and trends associated with NPS and synthetic opioid trafficking. Through practical exercises, the officers were able to simulate real-life situations, enhancing their preparedness and operational effectiveness.
In her closing remarks, Madam Adenuga reiterated her appreciation for the INCB-GRIDS Programme and committed to organizing extended training sessions in the future, in line with the recommendations from the RTO. She emphasized that such training is vital for NAFDAC's ongoing efforts to safeguard public health and safety.
The Board's Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme and Project ION and OPIOIDS Project support Governments' capacity to respond to changing trafficking, illicit manufacture, marketing and sales of NPS, non-medical synthetic opioids and fentanyl-related substances by providing real-time communication, facilitating information exchange and intelligence development that interdict distribution of dangerous substances.
The GRIDS Programme is supported by the Governments of Canada, Japan and the United States. This event was made possible through technical support from UNODC Nigeria and generous support from the United States government.
Click here to learn more about the GRIDS Programme.
Click here to learn more about the OPIOIDS Project
Click here to learn more about the Project ION