MTN Foundation Launches 2025 Campaign to Train 86,400 Students and 1,440 Teachers against Drug Abuse

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The MTN Foundation has unveiled its 2025 Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP), which will train 86,400 students and 1,440 secondary school teachers across 12 states to combat rising drug abuse among young people.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ workshop in Kaduna on Monday, MTN Foundation’s representative, Abubakar Zubairu, described the surge in drug misuse as “a national emergency requiring urgent coordinated action.”

Zubairu warned, “In recent times, we have witnessed the emergence of psychoactive substances in large quantities across our markets, most of which are purchased and consumed predominantly by our youth.

He further stressed the organisation’s commitment, saying, “At MTN Foundation, we have not only refused to turn a blind eye but have also made it a priority to reduce the rate of first-time substance abuse among Nigerian youth.”

According to him, the Foundation is partnering with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to operate a 24/7 psycho-social support helpline, providing free counselling services in local languages. The project, he explained, will connect Nigerians to professional psychologists for counselling at no cost.

Highlighting past efforts, Zubairu noted that since ASAP’s launch in 2019, millions have been reached through campaigns, NYSC community outreaches, and partnerships with organisations like the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

“With the partnership, we can educate and disseminate the correct information about substance abuse and integrate it into the educational curriculum to help model behavioural values in our society,” he said.

On teacher capacity building, Zubairu explained that Kaduna and Kwara states would pioneer a digital framework to expand the programme nationwide. “The teachers’ training in Kaduna and Kwara states will certainly pave the way for a digital framework to be developed because the need to scale impact on this subject matter is pertinent,” he stated.

He added that the 2025 campaign was aligned with the global theme for the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking: “It’s Everyone’s Fight.”

According to him, “The severity of the situation warrants declaring it a national emergency, and it is our responsibility to mitigate this, whether through policy updates, strategic partnerships, or preventive measures.”

Also speaking at the workshop, Director General of the Kaduna State Bureau for Substance Abuse, Prevention and Treatment (KABUSA), Mr. Joseph Ike, explained that the meeting was designed for stakeholders to deliberate on the new “Unplugged Policy Prevention Programme” with MTN Foundation’s support.

Ike confirmed the initiative would be introduced at the basic education level in Kaduna State. He underscored the importance of prevention strategies, drawing a parallel with past health interventions. “Unfortunately, many patients still died despite receiving care. It became clear that a strategic shift was necessary,” he said, referencing the early HIV/AIDS response in the 1980s.

He urged the government to avoid limiting its focus to rehabilitation. “Too often, conversations about drug abuse revolve solely around rehabilitation. That means we only respond once the problem has become severe. If rehabilitation is the only strategy the government is focused on, we will continue to chase symptoms rather than prevent the disease. It is time we begin to consciously invest in strategies that prevent new cases of substance abuse before they occur.”

Ike called on participants to actively contribute ideas and solutions to the policy framework.

In the same vein, a representative of the Kaduna State Command of NDLEA appealed to schools, religious institutions, and parents to play a stronger role in the fight against drug abuse, stressing that teachers and parents must lead by example in guiding children

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