ABEOKUTA — Medical practitioners and mental health specialists have called on the Federal Government to immediately declare a state of emergency on substance abuse and mental health disorders, warning that drug addiction among Nigerian youths has reached crisis proportions.
The call was made on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, by Dr. Abayomi Olajide, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Ogun State, during a public health sensitization session.
Dr. Olajide highlighted that the escalating prevalence of substance abuse—particularly involving prescription opioids, synthetic drugs, and cannabis—is worsening the country’s mental health burden and overwhelming existing psychiatric rehabilitation facilities.
The consultant psychiatrist emphasized that tackling the epidemic requires an aggressive multi-sectoral approach combining law enforcement interventions by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with expanded community-based rehabilitation centers and public education campaigns.
He further urged federal and state authorities to dedicate funding toward training psychiatric specialists, subsidizing mental health treatments, and establishing accessible counseling centers across local government areas to prevent a total breakdown of youth productivity and social stability.
