As part of activities commemorating the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the MTN Foundation, in partnership with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) hosted a national conference in Abuja under the banner of its Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP).

The event, which took place on Thursday, 26th June 2025, at State House, Abuja, brought together stakeholders across government, civil society, the diplomatic corps, and the private sector to spotlight Nigeria’s fight against substance abuse.

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, represented by The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, stated, “World Drug Day isa wake-up call. It urges us to take urgent, evidence-based action to confront illicit drug use and trafficking—crises that continue to destroy lives, shatter families, and undermine the very fabric of our communities.” He concluded by saying, “This is not just the responsibility of the government, it is a shared human duty—to ensure that the road to recovery is accessible for all.”

Representing Dr. Mosun Olusoga, Chairman of the MTN Foundation, Prof. Ifeoma Okoye, Non-Executive Director, MTN Foundation, also added, “This is all our fight, and we need to play a part in sensitising communities and developing new policies to counter this scourge.

“At our Foundation, we’re facilitating discussions at stakeholder conferences likethis, educating communities in collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and hosting a quiz competition to increase awareness among 86,400students and 1,440 teachers from 144 public secondary schools in 12 States.

“This of course, is in addition to the advocacy walks in tertiary institutions across Abuja, Enugu, Kano, and Lagos States, and our partnership with the NDLEA on their 24/7 toll-free psycho-social support helpline for affected youth.”

Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman of NDLEA, highlighted the role of the NDLEA and welcomed the continued support of partners like the MTN Foundation and the UNODC. “To battle the scourge of drugs, which has been linked to terrorism and banditry, prevention remains the most proactive approach in the fight against drug intakeand traffic in our communities.

“The importance of prevention is the fight against illicit drugs. We have seen the case of people using drugs rise globally. The World Drug report of 2024 states that drug use globally has increased significantly to 209 million people, a 20% rise over the last decade.

“The costly practices of drugs in terms of death and toll on individuals are high. We learnt from the World Drug Report of 2022 that drug use abuse killed almost half a million people in 2019. This should sound an alarm bell that something must be done,” he stated.

Other highlights from the event included a youth-led drama performance by the University of Abuja Theatre Group, a documentary screening on the effects of drug abuse, and a prize presentation to the winners of the inter-secondary school essay competition. The programme also featured remarks from a young person with lived experience, Saadatu Usman Mohammed, and a guest lecture delivered by Dr. Abubakar Salami.

Since its launch in2019, ASAP has worked to combat substance abuse through sustained behavioural change campaigns, advocacy, and educational outreach targeted at young Nigerians. The 2025 conference reaffirmed the foundation’s role as a committed partner in supporting national efforts to reduce the prevalence of drug abuse across the country.