Nigeria's Drug Abuse Crisis: Stakeholders Call for Urgent Reforms

Nigeria's drug abuse crisis is increasingly becoming a major concern, particularly among young people, prompting hundreds of civil society groups, rights groups, and government agencies to call for urgent legal reforms. The country's punitive approach to drug control has failed to stem the tide of illicit drug trafficking and abuse, with the latest statistics showing that 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15 to 64 use psychoactive substances for non-medical purposes. Okereke Chinwike, the convener of the Nigeria Drug Law and Policy Reform Summit, stated that the current system is "militarised, punitive, repressive, and draconian," and requires a "bold, courageous, evidence-based, and sustainable reform."

Key Takeaways:

• The Nigeria Drug Law and Policy Reform Summit, convened by the African Law Foundation (AFRILAW), brought together stakeholders to address the country's growing drug abuse crisis.
• Despite decades of legislation and enforcement, illicit drug trafficking and abuse remain widespread, with 14.3 million Nigerians aged 15 to 64 using psychoactive substances for non-medical purposes (2019 National Drug Use Survey).
• The brunt of drug use falls on young adults, with 376,000 Nigerians aged 25-39 identified as high-risk drug users.
• The current punitive approach to drug control has failed to address the core problem, and laws meant to tackle the crisis have only fueled injustice.
• AFRILAW and over 270 civil society organisations have advocated for the removal of the death penalty and replacement with life imprisonment in the proposed amendment to the NDLEA Act.
• The summit urged lawmakers to adopt a comprehensive approach modelled on the West Africa Model Drug Law, prioritising harm reduction, human rights protections, and alternatives to incarceration.

Statistics:

• 14.3 million Nigerians (aged 15-64) use psychoactive substances for non-medical purposes (2019 National Drug Use Survey).
• 376,000 Nigerians (aged 25-39) are high-risk drug users (2019 National Drug Use Survey).
• 80,000 Nigerians inject drugs (2019 National Drug Use Survey).
• The National Assembly removed the death penalty from the proposed amendment to the NDLEA Act and replaced it with life imprisonment.

Sources:

• "Nigeria's drug war creates human rights crisis" (The Times Of Nigeria, 2022)
• African Law Foundation (AFRILAW) (Summit conveners)
• "2019 National Drug Use Survey" (Source not provided, although referenced in the original text)
• Okereke Chinwike (AFRILAW founder and convener of the summit)
• Tony Ojukwu (Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC))