The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have joined forces to tackle substance abuse, recognizing the substantial socio-economic damage it inflicts.
They’ve highlighted the critical loss of human resources due to addiction, pointing out that a significant portion of the youth, now entangled in drug use, are no longer contributing to the workforce.
This alarming trend poses a serious threat to the economic advancement and overall development of Nigeria and the broader West African region. ECOWAS launched a capacity-building workshop in Lagos for Nigeria’s drug use epidemiology network (NENDU) to promote a data-driven approach to drug abuse control.
The workshop, attended by participants from 37 NDLEA treatment centers, aims to equip NENDU with the tools to track drug trends and emerging substances, as credible data is crucial for effective drug control efforts.
ECOWAS officials highlighted the link between drug abuse and terrorism, violence, and crime, emphasizing that reducing drug abuse would mitigate these issues. They pointed out the economic impact of manpower loss, with young, capable individuals being lost to addiction, hindering regional development.
To support data collection and transmission, ECOWAS will provide essential equipment to NDLEA centers. NDLEA’s leadership stressed the importance of the NENDU system in generating timely and reliable data for drug prevention, treatment, and policy-making.
They underscored the critical need for accurate and actionable data in the evolving drug landscape, as it directly influences national planning and policy effectiveness.In an interview, NDLEA Director of Drug Demand Reduction, Dr. Ngozi Madubuike cited the 2018 National Drug Use Survey, revealing that 14.3 million Nigerians used psychoactive substances, excluding alcohol and tobacco, with 376,000 individuals having drug use disorders and seeking treatment.
She noted that these individuals are primarily young adults aged 25-39, impacting national productivity and the economy.Madubuike warned that the economic consequences of drug abuse would escalate if the trend isn’t urgently addressed. She highlighted that low productivity, mental health issues, and social vices among young people negatively affect the economy.
Additionally, drug trafficking undermines local producers by concealing drugs in goods and selling them at lower prices.
