Reps probe systemic failures driving drug abuse in Nigeria

The House of Representatives has launched an investigation into the rising tide of drug abuse in Nigeria, aiming to uncover systemic failures and recommend far-reaching reforms to curb what members described as a national emergency.

Speaking at the opening of the investigation, the Chairman of the House Ad hoc Committee on Drugs, Trafficking, Alcohol and Tobacco Abuse, Oluwatimehin Adelegbe (APC, Ogun), warned that substance abuse now poses a grave threat to Nigeria’s social fabric and future.

He said the committee was inaugurated to establish the facts, expose institutional lapses and propose strong corrective measures.

Mr Adelegbe said Nigeria could no longer ignore the scale of drug abuse across the country, noting that cannabis is now openly smoked in public spaces, methamphetamine use is spreading rapidly, and codeine-based cough syrups are widely sold with little restraint.

He added that tramadol 200mg is trafficked with the same coordination as hard narcotics, while cheap and dangerous alcoholic mixtures continue to destroy young people in motor parks, campuses and marketplaces.

The lawmaker also accused tobacco companies of exploiting regulatory gaps to target minors through flavoured products, informal retail channels and deceptive marketing practices.

According to him, substandard pharmaceuticals, fake spirits and unregistered products flood Nigerian markets, as ports, airports and land borders remain vulnerable to trafficking syndicates taking advantage of weak enforcement.

“Entire communities have been crippled by addiction, crime and preventable deaths. Nigeria is losing too many lives, too many futures and too many families,” he said.

Mr Adelegbe stressed that the investigation was not designed as a witch-hunt or an anti-business exercise, but an accountability process.

“We support industries, we value investors and we welcome innovation. But no business model can be allowed to thrive at the expense of Nigerian lives. No profit margin can justify the destruction of our youth,” he said.

He warned that no corporate actor would be permitted to hide behind claims of compliance while fuelling an addiction epidemic, adding that all stakeholders invited before the committee were expected to cooperate fully.

UNODC memorandum

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) also raised fresh concerns over the extent of drug use in Nigeria, describing the situation as alarming and significantly above the global average.

In a memorandum submitted to the committee, the UN agency cited findings from the 2018 Nigeria Drug Use Survey, conducted with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the European Union, which showed that 14.4 per cent of Nigerians aged between 15 and 64 use drugs.

The survey identified cannabis as the most commonly used substance, with an estimated 10.6 million users, followed by pharmaceutical opioids including tramadol and codeine-based cough syrups used by about seven million Nigerians.

It further revealed that nearly three million Nigerians suffer from drug use disorders requiring counselling or medical treatment.

The UNODC highlighted a significant gender disparity in access to treatment, noting that while one in four drug users in Nigeria is female, only one in 20 people receiving treatment is a woman.

According to the agency, stigma, discrimination and structural barriers continue to limit women’s ability to seek care.

The agency warned that drug use in Africa could rise by 40 per cent by 2030, a projection which, for Nigeria, could translate to more than 20 million drug users posing what it described as an extreme public health and security challenge.

The UNODC also referenced findings from its 2025 World Drug Report, published in June, which identified cannabis as the most widely used drug globally, with an estimated 244 million users in 2023, representing 4.6 per cent of the global population aged 15 to 64.

The report noted that global cannabis use has increased by 34 per cent over the past decade and remains the primary drug of concern for 32 per cent of people receiving treatment in Africa.

Globally, cannabis accounts for about 42 per cent of drug use disorder cases, while opioids remain the most lethal class of drugs, responsible for roughly two-thirds of drug-related deaths, largely from overdoses.

An estimated 61 million people worldwide used opioids in 2023, representing 1.2 per cent of the global population, the report said.

Recommendations

To tackle drug abuse and trafficking, the UNODC recommended a pragmatic, humane and data-driven response that balances intelligence-led law enforcement with expanded prevention, treatment and harm-reduction services.

Key recommendations included legislative reforms, decriminalisation of possession for personal use within defined thresholds, institutionalisation of harm-reduction strategies, stronger asset forfeiture and financial investigations, modernised controls on chemical precursors, and alternatives to incarceration for low-level, non-violent drug offences.

The agency said these measures would help reduce trafficking, expand access to treatment, lower overdose and HIV rates, and strengthen Nigeria’s response to organised drug networks.

NDLEA pledges support

In a separate memorandum, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigeria from the dangers of illicit drugs and substance abuse.

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The agency commended the committee’s initiative and pledged to provide technical input to strengthen Nigeria’s drug control framework through the National Drug Control Master Plan.

The NDLEA said stronger legislation, improved regulation, expanded treatment systems and increased operational resources were essential to significantly enhance Nigeria’s capacity to combat drug trafficking and protect public health.