MTN Foundation Nigeria and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have teamed up to tackle illicit drug use among youths in Kano State.
The collaboration began with an “Advocacy Walk Against Drug Abuse” on Saturday, held as part of MTN’s Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) to mark the 2025 International Day Against Substance Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.
“The walk, which started from Bayero University Kano’s old campus to Kano State Polytechnic through Gadon Kaya, is aimed at raising awareness among young people about the dangers of substance abuse,” said Aliyu Abu Sufiyanu, Senior Manager at MTN Kano.
“This initiative is part of the broader War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign, jointly driven by MTN and the NDLEA,” he added.
Describing the effort, Sufiyanu said, “It is a multisectoral behavioral change initiative designed to reduce first-time drug use among Nigerian youths through awareness creation and information dissemination.”
“Drug abuse among youths in Kano has reached an alarming level, with recent UNODC statistics indicating the state has the highest abuse rate in the North West,” he said. “This is why today’s advocacy walk is significant — to unite parents, teachers, students, and the larger community to say ‘No’ to drugs.”
He added, “Since its inception in 2019, ASAP has reached over 91 million people across Nigeria. In Kano State alone, it has engaged 27,000 students and 450 teachers across 55 schools.”
“This year, the programme aims to educate 6,000 students and 440 teachers across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones. Additionally, we plan to train 60,000 teachers and host national stakeholders’ conferences in Abuja and Lagos.”
Sufiyanu also said, “In addition to school outreach, the initiative will feature quiz competitions, community sensitization campaigns in collaboration with the NYSC, and continued support from the NDLEA and UNODC.”
Also speaking at the event, Deputy Commander of NDLEA in Kano, Dahiru Lawal Yahaya, said, “MTN has done wonderfully well by partnering with us. This collaboration is crucial as we work toward a drug-free society, especially in observance of this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.”
He added, “This year’s theme is ‘Breaking the Chain.’ Our week-long activities began on Friday and will continue until next Thursday.”
“There’s a strong link between drug abuse and Nigeria’s security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, and academic decline,” Yahaya warned. “We must break the chain of drug production, supply, and consumption. Every member of society has a role to play in ending this scourge.”
