The Federal Government has declared illicit drug use and trafficking a major threat to Nigeria's public healtah, national security, and socio-economic development, calling for a coordinated national response involving government institutions, communities, families, security agencies, healthcare providers, and development partners.
The call was made at the opening of the National Drug Use Summit in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana.
Delivering the SGF's address, Dr. Kana conveyed the goodwill of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that both the President and the SGF remain deeply committed to tackling the growing menace of illicit drug use and trafficking across the country.
He described the summit's theme, "Addressing Illicit Drug Use and Trafficking: A Call to National Action," as timely, stressing that the fight against drug abuse is not the responsibility of a single agency or ministry but a collective national obligation.
"The vulnerability of our youth to drug abuse is not merely a personal tragedy for affected families; it is a direct threat to Nigeria's future and national development," he said.
According to him, the increasing connection between drug trafficking and organised crimes such as terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, money laundering, and violent extremism underscores the need for stronger collaboration among stakeholders.
Dr. Kana noted that the Federal Government recognises substance use disorders as complex health and social challenges requiring evidence-based interventions beyond law enforcement.
He reaffirmed the Tinubu administration's commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda to strengthening mental healthcare, empowering young people, promoting resilient communities, and supporting institutions combating drug abuse and trafficking.
He urged participants to develop practical and sustainable strategies aimed at preventing drug use among young people, expanding treatment and rehabilitation services, strengthening early intervention programmes, reducing stigma against persons with substance use disorders, improving intelligence sharing, enhancing research, and building resilient communities.
"The resolutions from this summit should provide a renewed framework for national action to protect present and future generations from the devastating consequences of illicit drug use and trafficking," he said.
Earlier, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), described Nigeria's drug situation as a matter of grave concern, warning that millions of Nigerians—particularly young people—continue to abuse psychoactive substances with devastating consequences.
Marwa said the misuse of tramadol, codeine-based cough syrups, pharmaceutical opioids, synthetic drugs, and the emergence of clandestine drug manufacturing laboratories have significantly complicated Nigeria's drug control efforts.
He stressed that drug abuse fuels crime, violence, insecurity, poor productivity, and family disintegration, making it not only a public health concern but also a national security and development challenge.
Highlighting the agency's achievements over the past 18 months, Marwa disclosed that the NDLEA recorded 29,262 arrests, seized over 5.3 million kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs valued at more than ₦1.5 trillion, and secured 5,225 convictions.
On the demand reduction front, he revealed that the agency conducted 6,645 drug abuse prevention and sensitisation programmes nationwide, reaching nearly five million Nigerians across schools, workplaces, communities, markets, correctional centres, and motor parks.
He added that 13,508 individuals received counselling, treatment, and rehabilitation through the NDLEA's 31 rehabilitation centres across the country.
Marwa also highlighted the agency's Alternative Development Initiative for Cannabis Growers, designed to assist farmers in transitioning from illicit cannabis cultivation to sustainable legal livelihoods.
While acknowledging these achievements, he maintained that government agencies alone cannot overcome the country's drug challenge.
"The scale of this challenge demands a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response that mobilises communities, families, traditional and religious institutions, civil society, development partners, the private sector, and the media," he said.
The NDLEA Chairman urged participants to use the summit to generate practical, evidence-based recommendations that would strengthen prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, policy implementation, institutional collaboration, and community resilience.
According to the 2019 UNODC/NDLEA National Drug Use Survey, approximately 14.4 million Nigerians aged between 15 and 64 years—representing 14.4 per cent of the population—used psychoactive substances within a one-year period, making Nigeria one of Africa's countries with a significant burden of drug abuse.
The National Drug Use Summit brought together ministers, heads of government agencies, security services, healthcare professionals, civil society organisations, academics, development partners, and private sector stakeholders to review Nigeria's drug control strategies and advance implementation of the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP).
The summit also seeks to strengthen prevention frameworks in schools, expand treatment and harm reduction services, promote alternative livelihoods for illicit crop growers, improve access to controlled medicines for legitimate medical purposes, enhance inter-agency collaboration, and mobilise sustainable domestic and international financing for drug control programmes.
