By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
Dr. Wakklee Richard Nen-nang, Founder/CEO Youths Advocacy Future Hope Network (YAFHN), has raised alarm over the rising burden of drug abuse among Nigerian youths, describing it as “a social and public health concern even in Nigeria, whose consequences cannot be ignored nor underemphasized.”
He stated this while addressing journalists in Jos the Plateau State clapital.
Citing global figures, Dr. Nen-nang said “A UN report estimated that 271 million people (5.5%) of the global population aged between 15-64 used drugs in the previous year. Similarly, the global burden of disease study estimated there were over 585,000 deaths due to drug use globally.”
“In Nigeria, the burden of drug abuse has been on the increase and is becoming a national calamity and public health concern,” he said.
“Nigeria, having the largest population in Africa and a youthful population within the African continent, which according to the UNODC 2018 report on drug use in Nigeria estimated that one person in seven persons aged 15-64 had used drugs in the past year.”
He noted that drug abuse reportedly exacerbates the causes of several criminal offences such as banditry, kidnappings, theft, sex work, shoplifting, and other forms of cruelty and social vices.
“Despite concerted efforts by law enforcement agencies to reduce this worrisome trend, newer and difficult to detect substances of abuse are now been abused,” he added.
Dr. Nen-nang specifically warned about the Methamphetamine crisis: “The Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth) or ICE pandemic in Nigeria as being regarded on the streets is gradually consuming the productive population which constitutes of youths.”
He referenced recent enforcement actions: “Recent raids by NDLEA on proliferated illegal Meth labs across the country is a scary situation of the direction the country is headed in terms of drug abuse and dependence. The most recent of such discovery is a massive industrial-scale lab in Ogun state estimatedly valued at ₦480 billion in May 2026.”
“Such efforts by law enforcement agencies must be commended, however these efforts have not translated in reduction in drug demand, rather newer ways are innovated to outsmart law enforcement agents, and keep drugs in circulation.
“This obviously is due to the fact that the drug industry is a multi- billion dollars industry globally making it a viable industry for drug barons while drug users have to face it’s ugly consequences of usage,” he said.
In response, he said, “our organisation Youths Advocacy Future Hope Network (YAFHN) steps in with empirical prevention interventions targeting youth cohorts from drug demand reduction and initial initiation into drug use and abuse.”
