The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Mr. Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, has called for urgent and collective action to tackle the rising cases of drug and substance abuse among Nigerian youth.
Arabi, who was represented by Mrs. Atinuke Ajiboye, Director, Corporate Services, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering a welcome address at the 11th National Youth Summit on Drug and Substance Abuse Prevention.
The summit brought together youth leaders, government officials, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to confront the deepening crisis of drug abuse and its far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, productivity, and national stability.
Mrs. Ajiboye, speaking on behalf of the DG, warned that the increasing rate of substance abuse poses a grave threat to the health and future of young Nigerians, as well as the country’s security and economic wellbeing. She noted that the summit was convened not only to examine the scale of the challenge but also to develop solutions and empower young people to resist addiction.
She described the gathering as a strategic opportunity to explore innovative approaches to prevention, early intervention, and youth-centered rehabilitation, calling on all stakeholders to strengthen collaboration for a safer and healthier society.
Echoing this urgency, Founder and Executive Director of the African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention (AYICRIP), Ambassador Chris C. Ibe, emphasized the need to tackle the root causes of substance abuse, noting that Nigeria’s 14.4% drug-use prevalence is more than twice the global average.
He thanked strategic partners — including the NDLEA, BPSR, and Universal Insurance Plc — for their steadfast support and congratulated NDLEA Chairman, Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Retd.), on his reappointment. In the same vein, he appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government to prioritise a citizen-focused National Alcohol Policy that protects public health and reflects the will of Nigerians.
The three-day summit features keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, and expert-led training sessions, including capacity building on Alcohol Policy Development by the West African Alcohol Policy Alliance. A major highlight will be the inauguration of an inter-agency network dedicated to strengthening coordination on drug-abuse prevention across government and civil society.
Speaking to young Nigerians, Mrs. Ajiboye, on behalf of the DG, urged them to recognise their value and maintain their contributions to national development, especially in technology, agriculture, governance, and the creative industries. She stressed that the youth are not the problem but a critical part of the solution.
Reaffirming BPSR’s commitment to youth empowerment, she encouraged participants to challenge outdated norms, propose innovative ideas, and deploy the insights gained from the summit to champion change in their communities.
Both AYICRIP and BPSR expressed confidence that this 11th edition of the summit will inspire meaningful action, strengthen prevention-focused initiatives, and advance the national resolve to build a safer, healthier, and drug-free Nigeria.
Signed
Aliyu Umar
Head, Strategic Communications (BPSR)
28/11/2025
