Make Help Easier To Find Than Drugs, Experts Urge Nigeria
By Princess-Ekwi Ajide
A young person battling substance use may be one phone call away from getting help, but fear of stigma, punishment or rejection can make that call difficult.
For another, the warning signs may be visible at home or school, yet go unnoticed until the situation becomes a crisis.
That is the challenge Professors Andrew Zamani and Fatima Waziri-Azi say Nigeria must confront through early intervention, accessible treatment, stronger community support, and evidence-backed policies.
Their message at the ISSUP Nigeria, Youth O’clock 2026, is clear: preventing substance abuse among young people requires more than awareness campaigns and arrests.
It demands a system that helps people seek care early, supports their recovery and protects them from exploitation.
Speaking on shaping the future of addiction prevention, recovery and innovation, the professors highlighted different but complementary approaches to addressing the problem, including African-led research, school-based prevention, family support and effective referral systems.
African research, local solutions
Professor Andrew Zamani, a Professor of Clinical Psychology at Nasarawa State University, called for greater investment in African-led research to generate evidence that reflects the continent’s social, cultural and economic realities.
He argued that approaches to counselling, addiction treatment and mental health care should take account of the circumstances of African communities rather than simply reproduce models used in the West, Asia or the Middle East.
For Zamani, research is essential to identifying what works in prevention and treatment and how interventions can be adapted to the needs of different populations.
He urged stronger partnerships among government agencies, non-governmental organisations, universities and research institutions to develop evidence-based responses to substance use and related mental health challenges.
He also highlighted the potential of telehealth and mobile health services to improve early detection and expand access to care, particularly for people who face barriers to conventional health services.
The professor stressed that building resilience among the next generation must begin now, with community-integrated interventions that make prevention and treatment part of everyday life.
Such interventions, he argued, should be informed by research and designed to respond to the specific needs of the people they serve.
Schools and families must act early
Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi, Professor of Public Law at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, emphasised on turning prevention policies into practical measures that young people can understand and access.
She called for every school and tertiary institution to have a clear prevention and response protocol, with students informed about where to report problems, how confidentiality is protected, what happens during emergencies and how they can return to learning after treatment.
She also advocated functional community referral pathways linking families to qualified treatment providers, mental health services, child protection agencies and appropriate law enforcement units.
Such pathways, she explained, must go beyond lists of telephone numbers.
They require working relationships among professionals and institutions that understand their responsibilities and respond when called upon.
Waziri-Azi further stressed the need to equip parents and caregivers with the knowledge to recognise changes in behaviour, discuss difficult issues without condemnation, establish boundaries and seek professional assistance early.
Government, she said, must provide the funding, trained personnel and sustained implementation needed to turn policies into results.
She challenged stakeholders to measure the impact of prevention programmes rather than relying on the number of rallies held or arrests recorded.
Relevant measures, she argued, should include whether young people are delaying substance use, accessing treatment, remaining in recovery and receiving support to return to school and family life.
Protecting those most at risk
Waziri-Azi also drew attention to young people who are often excluded from support systems, including girls, children with disabilities, displaced children, survivors of violence and young people living on the streets or in conflict with the justice system.
She called for interventions that recognise the different barriers these groups face, including poverty, fear of stigma, social rejection and the risk of punishment for seeking help.
Technology companies, she added, have a responsibility to address online environments that expose young people to harmful substances and exploitation. “Digital platforms could also help connect users to credible information, treatment and peer support”.
Recovery must remain possible
One of the strongest messages in Waziri-Azi’s speech was that a young person’s worst experience should not define the rest of their life.
Using a hypothetical account of two young people, Daniel and Aisha, she illustrated how a friend who responds calmly to a distress call can help someone in trouble reach a trusted adult and qualified health services.
The immediate crisis, she explained, may be followed by a longer period of treatment, family engagement, academic recovery and continued support.
Setbacks may occur, but they should not automatically end a young person’s opportunity to rebuild their life.
The message challenges the stigma that often surrounds substance-use disorders and reinforces the need to treat affected young people with dignity while maintaining appropriate accountability.
“A young person experiencing a substance-use disorder can still have the capacity to learn, work, maintain relationships and contribute meaningfully to society”, she stressed.
For Nigeria, the implications extend beyond the health sector. Schools, families, community leaders, healthcare providers, civil society organisations, technology companies and justice institutions all have roles to play.
Zamani’s call for locally relevant research and Waziri-Azi’s demand for practical, measurable interventions point to the same need: a coordinated response that combines prevention, treatment, protection and recovery.
Ultimately, the success of that response will depend not on the number of events organised or statements issued, but on whether a young person who needs help can find it in time.
As Waziri-Azi’s message suggests, the goal should be to build communities where asking for help is safe, qualified care is accessible and recovery remains a realistic possibility.
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