By Abbas Nazil
The Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has raised alarm over the growing rate of drug and substance abuse among Nigerian youths, describing the situation as a national emergency that requires urgent and coordinated intervention.
The warning followed discussions at the Foundation’s March edition of its Monthly Virtual Mentorship Programme, where experts highlighted the scale, causes, and consequences of substance abuse across the country.
According to the Foundation, figures from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime show that Nigeria has a drug use prevalence rate of 14.4 per cent, translating to about 14.3 million people, with a significant proportion being young individuals.
Speaking during the programme, Dr Muhammad Kasim of the Department of Community Medicine at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, cautioned that the increasing availability of both conventional and synthetic drugs is posing serious threats to public health, national security, and economic productivity.
He noted that the trend is fueling addiction, mental health disorders, and a growing burden on the healthcare system, while also contributing to declining workforce productivity and rising crime rates.
The Foundation further explained that drug abuse is weakening family structures and disrupting education, particularly among young people who are increasingly exposed to harmful substances.
It identified socio-economic challenges such as poverty, unemployment, low school enrollment, and the high number of out-of-school children, especially in Northern Nigeria, as key factors making youths more vulnerable to substance abuse.
The emergence of locally compounded drugs has also worsened the situation, increasing accessibility and deepening the crisis among young populations.
To address the challenge, the Foundation called for a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach, including the integration of drug education into school curricula and intensified awareness campaigns at community levels.
It also urged the expansion of treatment and rehabilitation services, alongside the integration of mental health care into primary healthcare systems across the country.
The group stressed the need to strengthen the capacity of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, improve collaboration among relevant agencies, tighten border controls, and enforce stricter regulation of pharmaceutical distribution channels.
In addition, it advocated increased investment in youth empowerment initiatives such as skills acquisition, job creation, and entrepreneurship programmes to reduce vulnerability among young people.
The Foundation emphasized that tackling poverty and improving access to quality education are essential steps in addressing the root causes of drug abuse.
It also highlighted the importance of data-driven policymaking, urging authorities to rely on research, monitoring, and evaluation frameworks to guide national strategies and resource allocation.
Director-General of the Foundation, Abubakar Gambo Umar, stressed that addressing drug abuse among youths is critical to safeguarding Nigeria’s future.
He called for immediate, sustained, and collaborative action from government, civil society, families, and development partners to prevent the situation from escalating into a deeper national crisis.
