The summer I turned into a monitoring spirit

Teenagers and kids under ten are abusing drugs more than ever in Nigeria

The Big Daily

Aug 01, 2025

Happy Friday and new month, Big Brains. Cheers to surviving another week and praying that the weekend lasts four days.

- Margaret

Word count: ~ 1000
Reading time ~ 5 mins

Let’s get into today’s edition:

Teenagers and kids under ten are abusing drugs more than ever in Nigeria
Trump isn’t down with Canada becoming Palestine’s ally

The Big Deal

Teenagers and kids under ten are abusing drugs more than ever in Nigeria

Nigerian kids have not been okay for a minute now, but experts just confirmed that things are looking worse than ever for them.

According to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mohamed Marwa, Nigeria is recording an increase in drug abuse among children and teenagers.

Kids as young as 10 are reportedly being introduced to a dangerous mix of substances, from codeine syrup to tramadol, cannabis cookies, meth (a.k.a mkpuru mmiri), glue, and even flavoured vapes.

The NDLEA is trying to fight back with a multi-pronged approach: from the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign and Drug-Free Clubs in schools, to parent-teacher trainings, emergency helplines, and community outreach. But they admit they can’t do it alone.

Marwa called on literally everybody — parents, teachers, religious leaders, media personalities, neighbours — to step up. It’s going to take a village, so this is the time you have to turn to a monitoring spirit and keep an eye out for the kids around you.

Some experts even recommend that the government declare a national emergency backed by proper legislation, funding, and enforcement.

Why is this a big deal?

In Kano and Jigawa alone, three million bottles of codeine-based syrups are consumed daily. Even if NDLEA wanted to stop this worrisome trend before kids get wrapped up in it, underfunding remains a major problem.

As of 2021, the agency had over 10,000 staff spread across 173 formations, yet it received just ₦33 million monthly as overhead to run all its operations. Meanwhile, federal agencies, like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had 2,800 staff, were receiving over ₦300 million monthly at the time.

Even now in 2025, NDLEA still needs to talk the government’s ears off before securing enough funding for its operation.

The United Nations has also confirmed that 14.4% of Nigerians aged 15–64 abuse drugs. That’s nearly three times the global average. One in five Nigerians in this age group already suffers from a drug use disorder.

You put two and two together, and you realise that this is, in fact, a national emergency. If we want our “leaders of tomorrow” to actually make it to tomorrow, the federal government needs to step up. And to be honest, we all need to step up.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, the NDLEA runs a 24/7 helpline offering psychosocial support and wellness services. Please call 0800-1020-3040 to seek help.

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Trump isn’t down with Canada becoming Palestine’s ally

In yesterday’s edition, we explained that US President Trump isn’t afraid to get down and dirty with his policies, especially with countries that don’t align with his Make America Great Again agenda. Congratulations are in order for Canada because it's now the newest country on that list.

On Wednesday, July 30, Canada announced that it would formally recognise a Palestinian state, making it the third G7 country, alongside the United Kingdom (UK) and France, to take a diplomatic stand against the humanitarian crisis that’s happening in Gaza. While this was meant to send a message of peace and support, it sent Trump into threat mode.

The president, who isn’t exactly the poster child of the Free Palestine movement, posted on his Truth Social account, “Wow!… That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh, Canada!!!”

If you know anything about Trump, you’d know that he’s not the type to just talk, especially when trade deals are involved. His administration has set an August 1 deadline for countries to finalise new trade agreements with the U.S, or risk being slapped with higher tariffs. Canada, with this one move, may have just jeopardised its trade relationship with its southern neighbour.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney isn’t backing down, though. He said the formal recognition will happen during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September, but it’s conditional. For it to go through, the Palestinian Authority must commit to key democratic reforms, including conducting elections and keeping Hamas far away from governance.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry has also condemned Canada’s move, describing it as a “reward for Hamas,” and doubling down on the belief that state recognition should come after terrorism is eliminated, not while it’s still part of the equation.

Israel has reportedly killed over 60,000 Palestinians since 2023. But even as international call for a ceasefire and long-term peace continues to grow, the U.S remains the only permanent member of the UN Security Council that hasn’t recognised a Palestinian state, and it will likely not join the likes of Canada, France and the U.K.

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