Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to leading a nationwide survey on substance use, describing the initiative as critical to the country’s future.
The survey is a joint effort between the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the MTN Nigeria Foundation. It aims to generate detailed data on drug use across Nigeria’s local government areas.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during the signing of the cooperation agreement, Shettima said the government would not play a passive role in the project. He stressed that the outcome must translate into concrete policies.
“We expect the findings to land as policy inputs, not as documents,” the Vice President said. “We also expect a full and final report no later than the first quarter of next year.”
He noted that the survey would provide granular data needed by authorities to design targeted interventions. According to him, this makes the initiative essential to Nigeria’s survival as a nation.
To ensure effective coordination, Shettima announced the establishment of a Project Management Office within the Office of the Vice President. The unit will oversee all phases of the project, including questionnaire design, field operations, inter-agency collaboration, and the deployment of findings.
“The Office of the Vice President’s role is not ceremonial. We are in this for the outcome,” he said.
The Vice President also commended the role of private sector partners, noting that such collaboration is key to national development.
Earlier, Executive Director of the MTN Nigeria Foundation, Odunayo Sanya, said the initiative underscores the organisation’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s youth. She explained that the survey would be comprehensive and conducted at the grassroots level.
On his part, the Country Representative of the UNODC, Cheikh Ousmane Toure, described the partnership as a strong signal of Nigeria’s resolve to combat drug abuse and related crimes. He praised the leadership demonstrated by the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Toure added that the UNODC would provide technical expertise and remain fully committed to the success of the initiative, which he described as the beginning of a more strategic collaboration between government, the private sector, and the United Nations.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, and a non-executive director of the MTN Nigeria Foundation Board, Simon Aranonu.
