… MTN Foundation Joins Forces with NDLEA to Combat Substance Abuse
By Mercy Gadia Adi
President Bola Tinubu has called for a collective effort to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria, emphasizing that the fight against the scourge must be a national movement rather than the responsibility of the government alone.
This call to action was made during the commemoration of World Drug Day 2025, held at the Presidential Villa Conference Centre in Abuja.
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, he highlighted the devastating impact of substance abuse on individuals, families, communities, and national security.
“Lives are lost. Potential is wasted. Care is burdened, and the ripple effects travel across generations,” he said, stressing the need for urgent and decisive action .
“The theme of this year’s observance, ‘The Evidence is Clear: Invest in Prevention’, is both timely and urgent,” Tinubu said.
The President emphasized the importance of a holistic approach to addressing substance abuse, which includes prevention, early intervention, and youth education. “Prevention is our most vigorous defense,” he said. “It saves lives and builds communities that can resist substance abuse.” Tinubu also stressed the need to address the root causes of substance abuse, such as poverty, inequality, violence, and conflict.
President Tinubu also expressed gratitude to global stakeholders and praised the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), led by Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), for its comprehensive efforts in combating substance abuse.
Emphasizing a holistic and compassionate approach, Tinubu stated, “Drug dependence is not a moral failing. Recovery is a journey that requires supportive environments, mental health care, safe housing, and a society that offers second chances.”
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to international cooperation, Tinubu pledged to deepen partnerships, strengthen enforcement, and promote sustainable solutions under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
In her Address, Chairman of the MTN Foundation, Dr. Mosun Belo-Olusoga, , highlighted the organization’s commitment to youth development and its efforts to combat substance abuse. She noted that the Foundation’s Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) is driven by the alarming reality that 70% of Nigeria’s population is under 25 and increasingly vulnerable to drug addiction.
Emphasizing the importance of prevention and education in tackling substance abuse, Dr Belo-Olusoga said, “The statistics from the UNODC are clear: substance abuse is rising. But rather than wait until rehabilitation is needed, we focus on prevention,” she said.
According to her, through ASAP, the Foundation actively propagates awareness through social media, targeted campaigns, and interventions in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Dr. Belo-Olusoga further emphasized the need for collective action, saying, “This is all our fight, and we need to play a part in sensitizing communities and developing new policies to counter this scourge.”
“The Foundation has facilitated discussions, stakeholder conferences, and advocacy walks, and has partnered with the NDLEA on their 24/7 psycho-social support helpline for affected youth”
“The MTN Foundation has also educated communities in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and hosted a quiz competition to increase awareness among 86,400 students and 1,440 teachers from 144 public secondary schools in 12 states. Dr. Belo-Olusoga emphasized the importance of collaboration, saying, We aim to do even more – not alone, but alongside great minds like yours,” She said.
Speaking Also at the World Drug Day event the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), sounded the alarm about Nigeria’s escalating drug crisis, warning that it poses a significant threat to national security.
Marwa revealed that over 90% of those involved in terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crimes in Nigeria are drug users.
Highlighting the devastating impact of drug abuse on individuals, families, and communities, Marwa Cited statistics from the 2018 National Drug Use Survey. According to the survey, 14.4% of Nigerians aged 15-64 (approximately 14.3 million people) use drugs, almost triple the global average. He also noted that 10.6 million Nigerians use cannabis alone, which is more than the population of some countries.
The NDLEA Chairman outlined the agency’s three-pronged strategy to combat drug abuse, which includes prevention, rehabilitation, and enforcement. “Under prevention, the agency has intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, conducting over 11,000 sensitization programs nationwide”
” The agency has also promoted early detection in families through the Save Our Families initiative and adopted drug integrity testing in universities and institutions”.
Regarding rehabilitation, Marwa stated that the agency operates 30 treatment centers, where over 26,000 individuals have received care in the past 18 months. “Seven more centers have been approved in the 2025 budget, bringing the total to 37. On the enforcement front, the agency has arrested over 66,000 drug offenders, including 94 drug barons, and seized 11.1 million kilograms of illicit drugs”.
Marwa made a passionate appeal, emphasizing that children need presence, values, and discipline, rather than just money. “Let us invest in prevention today so we don’t pay the price of rehabilitation tomorrow,” he said.
He credited the Tinubu administration, the National Assembly, state governors, and security agencies for their support and acknowledged key international partners.
The NDLEA Chairman emphasized that drug abuse is not just a health issue but also a governance, security, and moral issue. He called for a collective effort to address the problem, stressing that the task ahead is enormous and requires the involvement of all stakeholders. “We’ve made progress, but the task ahead is enormous,” Marwa said. “Drug abuse is not just a health issue, it’s a governance, security, and moral issue.”