With Nigeria remaining at the centre of Africa’s substance abuse challenge, experts in drug prevention and treatment have warned that the continent could experience a 40 per cent increase in drug use by 2030 unless urgent and coordinated measures are adopted.
  
The warning was issued during a media capacity-building programme organised by the Nigerian Online Media Alliance (NOMA) to mark the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
   
The event, held at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Lagos, brought together anti-drug advocates, health professionals, government representatives and journalists, who called for stronger collaboration to address what they described as an escalating public health and social crisis.
  
In his keynote address, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, described substance abuse as one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health emergencies.
  
Owoeye said prevention remains the most affordable, effective and sustainable response, particularly amid the shortage of mental health professionals in the country.
  
He stressed that while treatment services remain essential, greater investment in public awareness, education and early prevention would deliver better long-term outcomes.
  
The medical director disclosed that more than 1,200 substance use prevention and treatment professionals have been trained across Nigeria through various international partnerships aimed at strengthening the country’s response to addiction.
  
Speaking at the event, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd.), said Nigeria continues to carry a disproportionate share of Africa’s drug-use burden, with prevalence rates far above the global average.
  
Marwa said while global drug-use prevalence is estimated at 5.6 per cent, Nigeria’s rate stands at 14.4 per cent, highlighting the seriousness of the challenge.
  
He warned that Africa could witness a 40 per cent rise in drug use by 2030 and emphasised that law enforcement alone cannot solve the crisis.
  
According to him, reducing demand for illicit substances remains the most sustainable strategy, while the media has an important role in promoting awareness, prevention and behavioural change.
  
The NDLEA chairman disclosed that the agency has recorded more than 77,000 arrests, secured over 14,000 convictions and seized more than 15 million kilogrammes of illicit substances in recent years as part of its enforcement efforts.
  
Also speaking, President of the International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals Nigeria, Dr Olajumoke Koyejo, urged society to remove the stigma associated with addiction, stressing that substance dependence should be treated as a chronic health condition rather than a moral failure.
  
Koyejo described addiction as a chronic and relapsing brain disorder, warning that portraying it as criminal behaviour or personal weakness often prevents affected individuals from seeking professional support.
  
She also expressed concern over the increasing prevalence of behavioural addictions, particularly gambling, among young Nigerians.

Lagos Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, attributed rising substance abuse among young people to factors including social media influence, peer pressure and economic hardship.
  
He said the state government has strengthened its anti-drug campaign through the Lagos State Kick Against Drug Abuse (LASKADA) initiative, which focuses on school awareness programmes, rehabilitation services and digital mental health support for youths.
  
From an economic perspective, Director-General of the Association of Nigerian Exporters, Joseph Idiong, warned that drug trafficking poses a threat to Nigeria’s international trade reputation.
  
He explained that increased association of Nigerian ports with illicit drug activities exposes legitimate exporters to stricter scrutiny, delays and reputational challenges in global markets.
  
Chairperson of NOMA, Theresa Moses, said the media training was designed to equip journalists as frontline partners in combating substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
  
She noted that drug abuse affects families, schools, communities and national development, adding that journalists play a critical role because their reports shape public perception and influence social behaviour.
  
Moses cautioned media professionals against sensational reporting, stressing that stigmatising narratives could discourage people experiencing addiction from seeking treatment and support.