Stakeholders’ campaign deepens war against substance abuse in Enugu

Stakeholders in the fight against substance abuse recently converged on Enugu in a renewed push to confront the rising tide of drug abuse among Nigerian youth.

The Enugu State stakeholders’ engagement was convened under the Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP), to chart a unified path against substance abuse.

“The MTN Foundation’s investment in youth development and the fight against substance abuse aligns directly with our administration’s transformational agenda,” Peter Mbah, Enugu State governor, stated.

Mbah, who was represented by Chidiebere Onyia, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), noted that the state’s transformation agenda is anchored in youth empowerment, education, healthcare, and human capital development. “Initiatives like ASAP are exactly the kind of partnerships that move the needle on national development.”

He further urged other private sector players to emulate the Foundation’s example, stressing that the scale of Nigeria’s drug abuse demands sustained collaboration between government, the private sector, development partners, and civil society.

Read also: UNAN sensitises youths on dangers of tobacco, nicotine substance

Odunayo Sanya, executive director, MTN Foundation, stated that the ASAP initiative was designed to reduce first-time drug use among young Nigerians through awareness campaigns and school-based interventions.

“We have reached over 50,000 students across the country and trained about 1,556 teachers as part of our efforts to create anti-drug ambassadors in schools and communities.”

According to Sanya, the consequences of substance abuse go beyond the individual and affect families, communities, and the nation at large. “For us at the MTN Foundation, saving even one young person from substance abuse is a worthwhile achievement.”

Looking ahead, she disclosed that the Foundation plans to reach more than 20,000 additional students in 2026 through expanded stakeholder engagements, school-based interventions, teacher training programmes, and community awareness campaigns.

Sanya described substance abuse as a major threat to families, communities, and national development, stressing the urgent need for collective action to shield young people from addiction.

According to her, the Foundation’s mission is rooted not just in numbers, but in human outcomes – the lives, families, and futures it helps preserve.