The abuse of illicit drugs and pharmaceutical substances is rising across the country.
According to experts, this is largely driven by worsening economic conditions, increasing availability of narcotics, and gaps in enforcement and rehabilitation systems.
From Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt to rural communities, the consumption of substances including cannabis, tramadol, codeine-based syrups, methamphetamine and other psychoactive drugs has increased among youths and working-age adults.
The trend is raising concerns over public health risks, crime rates and productivity losses.
Drug abuse is the inappropriate, excessive or hazardous use of legal or illegal substances to alter mood, behaviour or consciousness.
It is clinically categorised as a substance use disorder and involves a compulsive pattern of substance use despite severe physical, emotional or social consequences.
It encompasses a wide range of chemical substances, including illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and other psychoactive substances. It also includes the misuse of prescription medications such as painkillers, sedatives and stimulants through practices such as taking higher-than-prescribed doses, using another person’s prescription medication, or altering the method of administration by crushing, snorting or injecting the drugs.
Using medications to achieve an intoxicating effect, such as consuming cough syrups in excessive amounts, as well as the abuse of alcohol and inhalants, are also forms of drug abuse.
The World Health Organisation says the harmful use of alcohol results in 3.3 million deaths each year.
The global health body added that, on average, every person in the world aged 15 years or older consumes about 6.2 litres of pure alcohol annually, although less than half of the global population, about 38.3 per cent, actually drinks alcohol. This means that among drinkers, consumption averages about 17 litres per year.
The organisation also disclosed that no fewer than 15.3 million people globally have drug use disorders.
In its World Drug Report 2025, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime stated that it seeks not only to foster greater international cooperation in addressing the impact of the global drug problem on health, governance and security, but also to assist in anticipating and responding to threats posed by drug markets and mitigating their consequences.
In Nigeria, stakeholders have warned that current interventions remain insufficient to curb the spread of drug abuse.
Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have repeatedly linked the surge to increased trafficking routes, distribution networks and growing domestic consumption, particularly among young people.
Nigeria remains one of the countries most affected by drug use in West Africa, according to data from the UNODC, which has also warned of the rise of synthetic drug markets across the region.
Experts have identified the current economic situation as a major factor driving drug use, particularly among youths facing limited employment opportunities and the rising cost of living.
They revealed that pharmacists and drug vendors across the country have reported increased demand for sedatives, opioid-based painkillers and codeine-containing cough syrups despite regulatory restrictions on their circulation.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA has intensified nationwide operations targeting drug trafficking and distribution networks, including seizures of cannabis farms, synthetic drugs and pharmaceutical opioids.
Yet, the agency acknowledged that enforcement alone has not significantly reduced domestic consumption, as new supply chains continue to emerge.
In mid-2025, the Federal Government raised the alarm over the rising trend of drug abuse, particularly among young Nigerians.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, disclosed that an estimated 14.6 million Nigerians engaged in the non-medical use of substances such as cannabis and tramadol, according to the 2018 National Drug Use Survey.
Speaking during the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, she said the figure represented one of the highest rates in West Africa and called for coordinated and sustained action.
She added that the ministry, in collaboration with the UNODC, WHO, NDLEA, civil society organisations and implementing partners, was fully committed to implementing evidence-based strategies for drug prevention, treatment and recovery.
“On that note, we are happy that the Medication-Assisted Treatment intervention has been rolled out and kick-started as a pilot in one of four selected states, to be cascaded across the country in due course. We recognise that no single institution can do it alone.
“Combating drug abuse requires multi-sectoral collaboration, from health and education to law enforcement, community leadership, faith-based organisations and, most importantly, families, who are often the first to notice the signs of addiction,” she noted.
The Director of Food and Drug Services at the ministry, Olubunmi Aribeana, also explained that the MAT initiative complements other harm-reduction strategies, including the needle and syringe programme.
She emphasised the importance of shifting towards respectful, non-judgmental approaches that reduce stigma, support rehabilitation and empower young people and communities to prevent drug addiction.
Earlier in the year, a mental health expert and clinical psychologist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr Olanrewaju Sodeinde, cited a UNODC report indicating that more than 300 million people engage in drug abuse globally.
He said, “According to a UNODC report, Nigeria has over 14.4 million drug users, with the South-West prevalence rate estimated at 22.4 per cent, translating to more than four million people using drugs in the region alone.”
Sodeinde, who is the Deputy Director of the Clinical Psychology Department of the hospital, said the figures were believed to be largely underreported, as many individuals, out of fear of being stigmatised, shy away from presenting themselves to health professionals.
Noting that many cases do not make it into official records, he added that many individuals are often treated outside formal healthcare systems by traditional healers, where some are restrained, beaten or subjected to unscientific methods of “treatment.”
He noted that as a result, such cases are neither properly managed nor reported.
“Hospital admissions related to drug use are also on the rise. As a professional working in a neuropsychiatric hospital, I can attest that more than 80 per cent of patient admissions are drug-related. The cost of treatment is extremely high because initial admission alone can range between N500,000 and N600,000, and treatment may last one month, two months or even up to six months. These costs place a heavy financial burden on families, resources that could have been used for education, nutrition or personal development,” Sodeinde added.
Meanwhile, a Clinical Psychologist, Dr Adewale Adeyemi, called for stronger family support systems, early intervention programmes and increased awareness to curb the rising rate of drug abuse, particularly among young people.
Speaking with our correspondent, he said many individuals resort to substance use as a coping mechanism for stress, peer pressure, emotional challenges and unresolved personal issues.
He stressed that parents, teachers, community leaders and other stakeholders must create supportive environments where young people can freely discuss their concerns and seek help without fear of discrimination or stigma.
According to him, strengthening mental health awareness and expanding access to counselling services would help address the root causes of substance abuse before they escalate.
He said, “Reducing the surge in drug abuse requires a combination of early intervention, education and strong family support systems. Many young people turn to drugs as a way of coping with stress, peer pressure, emotional distress or unresolved personal challenges. Parents, teachers and community leaders must create safe spaces where individuals, especially adolescents, can openly discuss their struggles and seek help without fear of judgment or stigma.”
Adeyemi described drug abuse as not only a law enforcement issue but also a major public health and mental health concern requiring collective action.
The expert urged families, schools, healthcare professionals, religious organisations and government agencies to work together to promote healthy coping mechanisms, positive social relationships and productive opportunities that could discourage substance use and reduce its prevalence in society.
“There is also a need to strengthen mental health awareness and access to professional counselling services. Prevention is always more effective than treatment. By teaching healthy coping mechanisms, promoting positive peer relationships, engaging young people in productive activities and providing timely psychological support, society can reduce the risk of substance abuse and help vulnerable individuals make healthier life choices,” he added.
Also, a Psychiatrist and Psychologist, Dr Eniola Adegbaju, emphasised the need to strengthen mental health awareness and improve access to professional counselling services as part of efforts to tackle the growing challenge of substance abuse.
According to him, encouraging positive peer relationships and engaging young people in productive activities could help lower the risk of substance abuse.
He added that providing timely psychological support to vulnerable individuals would enable them to make healthier decisions and reduce their likelihood of turning to harmful substances.