The MTN Foundation has intensified efforts against banned substance abuse among young Nigerians, unveiling plans to reach over 20,000 students in 50 public secondary schools across 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) through its Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP).

The initiative, also, to provide specialised training for 250 teachers, was announced at the ASAP stakeholder conference in Ilorin, Kwara State, to commemorate the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

At the event, Chairman of the MTN Foundation, Dr. Mosun Belo-Olusoga, described substance abuse as a pressing threats confronting Nigerian youths, stressing the need for sustained collaboration among government institutions, schools, families, development partners and the private sector to address the challenge.

She hinted that the programme would be implemented in Abuja, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Oyo and Taraba states, with participating students benefiting from drug awareness education and quiz competitions designed to discourage the use of illicit substances and promote healthy lifestyles.

According to her, “the teachers selected for the programme would be equipped with practical skills to identify early warning signs of substance abuse, provide support for vulnerable students and facilitate referrals where necessary.”

Represented by Valentina Obayemi, the Senior Leads Sales and Trade Development, Ilorin, she added that the increasing availability of new psychoactive substances and emerging drug-related threats makes early intervention and preventive education more critical than ever.

She promised that the Foundation would continue to strengthen partnerships with tertiary institutions through advocacy campaigns, deepen grassroots engagement through collaboration with members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and sustain support for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s (NDLEA) 24-hour toll-free psychosocial support helpline.

Also speaking, Manager, MTN Foundation, Joseph Apata, highlighted the programme’s growing impact since its launch in 2019, noting that it has become one of the country’s leading private-sector interventions against substance abuse.

According to him, the initiative has reached 50,433 students, trained 1,556 teachers and generated awareness among over 100 million Nigerians through digital campaigns, stakeholder engagements and community-based interventions implemented across 32 states and the FCT.

Apata explained that the Foundation’s intervention strategy combines awareness creation, capacity building and stakeholder engagement. He said activities under the programme include advocacy walks in tertiary institutions, drug awareness education in schools, quiz competitions, leadership development projects, training for teachers, corps members and civil society organisations, as well as support for drug prevention and treatment initiatives.

He noted that the Foundation, in partnership with the NDLEA, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other stakeholders, has maintained a nationwide campaign aimed at reducing first-time substance abuse among young people between the ages of 10 and 25.

“The goal is not only to create awareness but also to reduce stigma against substance users, encourage access to treatment and rehabilitation services, and build a network of stakeholders committed to safeguarding the future of Nigerian youths,” he said.

Apata further disclosed that corps members participating in the programme undergo orientation and specialised training under the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) Community Development Service group, enabling them to carry out sensitisation campaigns in their communities while strengthening referral pathways to NDLEA support services and rehabilitation centres.

The Foundation also revealed that since its establishment in 2004 as the corporate social responsibility vehicle of MTN Nigeria, it has invested more than N32.2 billion in social development initiatives spanning health, capacity building and economic empowerment.

According to the Foundation, these interventions have impacted over 32 million lives in 3,604 communities across 590 local government areas in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for youths developments, Ambassador Ndanusa Usman urged the eradication of drug abuse from the NYSC scheme, praying that parents and the guardians pay improved attention to their words, saying that the future of their children worth more that their daily attention to other social involvements.

The Speaker, state Assembly, Eng. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu urged the youths to ensure the full achievements of their potentials by strictly keeping away from abuse of illicit drugs.