DFWA LAUNCHES DRUG-ABUSE EDUCATION WORKBOOK, UNVEILS NATIONWIDE YOUTH CAMPAIGN IN ABUJA

 

DFWA Launches Drug-Abuse Education Workbook, Unveils Nationwide Youth Campaign in Abuja

Drug Free World Africa (DFWA) officially launched a major nationwide anti-drug campaign and unveiled its maiden drug-abuse education workbook leaflet titled Steering Dynamic Drug-Free Youth, marking a renewed and coordinated push to curb substance abuse among young people in Nigeria and across Africa.

The inauguration and launch ceremony, held in Abuja, formally signalled the commencement of DFWA’s expanded campaign activities. The event, themed “From Awareness to Action: Together We Can End Drug Abuse,” convened government officials, security agencies, parents, students, youth groups and victims of substance abuse to chart sustainable strategies for prevention, education and recovery.

Addressing stakeholders, DFWA Country Director, Dr. Lina Okereke, emphasised that combating drug abuse demands collective responsibility and long-term commitment. She stated that DFWA was established to safeguard young people and help reshape Africa’s future through early education and preventive interventions.

 Lina Okereke                                                           Country Representative                               Drug Free World Africa 

At the event, Dr. Okereke referenced the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which consistently advocates early prevention as the most effective means of protecting future generations from the devastating effects of drug abuse. She called for increased and sustained investment in prevention programmes that address the root causes of substance misuse.

Highlighting DFWA’s impact, Dr. Okereke disclosed that since inception, the organisation has operated across seven African countries and 23 states in Nigeria, reaching over 165 schools and 50 communities. According to her, DFWA has trained more than 50,000 teachers, implemented 25 school-based programmes, organised 35 parent-teacher workshops, distributed over one million educational booklets, supported vulnerable children through rehousing initiatives, and introduced 5,000 early-years drug-education leaflets at the Abuja launch.

Also speaking at the event, the Controller General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), represented by Etuka Chizoba, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ending drug abuse and substance misuse in Nigeria. He assured stakeholders of the NDLEA’s readiness to collaborate with organisations such as DFWA to achieve a drug-free society.

Participants, including students and youth leaders, engaged in interactive sessions and discussions centred on prevention, awareness and recovery. Stakeholders expressed deep concern over statistics indicating that about 44 per cent of Nigeria’s population engages in substance use, with youths accounting for approximately 77 per cent of users, figures that underscore the urgency for coordinated national action.

The high point of the ceremony was the official unveiling of DFWA’s new education workbook, Steering Dynamic Drug-Free Youth, a practical resource designed to equip young people with knowledge, life skills and resilience to resist drug abuse.

Organisers described the launch as the beginning of a renewed, multi-layered approach involving families, schools, civil society and government authorities, aimed at tackling drug abuse comprehensively and securing a healthier, drug-free future for Nigeria’s youth.