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UNODC Raises Alarm Over Growing Global Illicit Drug Supply
UNODC Raises Alarm Over Growing Global Illicit Drug Supply
By: Michael Mike
Growing illicit drug supply and increasingly agile trafficking networks are compounding intersecting global crises and challenging health services and law enforcement responses, according to the World Drug Report 2023 launched by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday.
New data put the global estimate of people who inject drugs in 2021 at 13.2 million, 18 per cent higher than previously estimated. Globally, over 296 million people used drugs in 2021, an increase of 23 per cent over the previous decade. The number of people who suffer from drug use disorders, meanwhile, has skyrocketed to 39.5 million, a 45 per cent increase over 10 years.
The Report features a special chapter on drug trafficking and crimes that affect the environment in the Amazon Basin, as well as sections on clinical trials involving psychedelics and medical use of cannabis; drug use in humanitarian settings; innovations in drug treatment and other services; and drugs and conflict.
The World Drug Report 2023 also highlighted how social and economic inequalities drive – and are driven by – drug challenges; the environmental devastation and human rights abuses caused by illicit drug economies; and the rising dominance of synthetic drugs.
The report showed that demand for treating drug-related disorders remains largely unmet with only one in five people suffering from drug-related disorders were in treatment for drug use in 2021, with widening disparities in access to treatment across regions.
Youth populations are the most vulnerable to using drugs and are also more severely affected by substance use disorder in several regions. In Africa, 70 per cent of people in treatment are under the age of 35.
The report argued that public health, prevention, and access to treatment services must be prioritized worldwide, or drug challenges will leave more people behind. It further underscored the need for law enforcement responses to keep pace with agile criminal business models and the proliferation of cheap synthetic drugs that are easy to bring to market.
Reacting to the findings of the report, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly said: “We are witnessing a continued rise in the number of people suffering from drug use disorders worldwide, while treatment is failing to reach all of those who need it. Meanwhile, we need to step up responses against drug trafficking rings that are exploiting conflicts and global crises to expand illicit drug cultivation and production, especially of synthetic drugs, fueling illicit markets and causing greater harm to people and communities.”
According to the report, the right to health is not granted to many people who use drugs; large inequalities in access and availability of controlled drugs for medical use persist, particularly for pain management; the disparity is particularly prevalent between the global North and South and across urban and rural areas, making some people feel the negative impact of drugs more than others.
Some 86 per cent of the world’s population live in countries with too little access to pharmaceutical opioids (as controlled under the 1961 Single Convention) – mainly low and middle-income countries; some impoverished and vulnerable populations, such as those in the tri-border area between Brazil, Colombia, and Peru, are trapped in rural areas with a high prevalence of drug-related crimes, with their remote locations make it exceedingly difficult for them to benefit from treatment services, resources, or the rule of law.
The report explained that the drug economy in the Amazon Basin is exacerbating additional criminal activities – such as illegal logging, illegal mining, illegal land occupation, wildlife trafficking and more – damaging the environment of the world’s largest rainforest. Indigenous peoples and other minorities are suffering the consequences of this crime convergence, including displacement, mercury poisoning, and exposure to violence, among others; environmental defenders are sometimes specifically targeted by traffickers and armed groups.
It stated that while the war in Ukraine has displaced traditional cocaine and heroin routes, there are signs that the conflict could trigger an expansion of the manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs, given the existing know-how and the large markets for synthetic drugs developing in the region: in the Sahel, the illicit drug trade finances non-state armed and insurgency groups, while in Haiti, drug traffickers take advantage of porous borders to bolster their businesses, fueling the country’s multiplying crises.
The report said while new research on the use of controlled drugs such as psychedelics to treat mental health conditions and substance use disorders shows promise, it however cautioned that the fast pace of developments could jeopardize efforts to enact policies that place public health concerns over commercial interests; without well-designed, adequately researched frameworks in place, there may be too little access for those who need treatment – potentially causing patients to turn to illegal markets – or conversely, the psychedelics may be diverted for non-medical use.
The report said the cheap, easy, and fast production of synthetic drugs has radically transformed many illicit drug markets; criminals producing methamphetamine – the world’s dominant illegally manufactured synthetic drug – are attempting to evade law enforcement and regulatory responses through new synthesis routes, bases of operation, and non-controlled precursors.
It raised the alarm that fentanyl has drastically altered the opioid market in North America with dire consequences, noting that in 2021, the majority of the approximately 90,000 opioid related overdose deaths in North America involved illegally manufactured fentanyls.
It was however said drug ban in Afghanistan may have reversed upward opium production trend; the 2023 opium harvest in Afghanistan may see a drastic drop following the national drug ban, as early reports suggest reductions in poppy cultivation, stressing that the benefits of a possible significant reduction in illicit opium cultivation in Afghanistan in 2023 would be global, but it will be at the expense of many farmers in the country who do not have alternative means of income generation.
It added that Afghanistan is also a major producer of methamphetamines in the region, and the drop in opiate cultivation could drive a shift towards synthetic drug manufacture, where different actors will benefit.
UNODC Raises Alarm Over Growing Global Illicit Drug Supply
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
.Disburses N1bn to SMEs in 5 LGAs
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, on Thursday commissioned a fully remodelled “Second Chance School” for vulnerable girls and women in Biu Local Government Area.
The newly inaugurated facility is part of a strategic initiative designed to offer adult women, including those who missed formal education or dropped out of school due to prevailing challenges, a pathway to self-reliance.
The school’s curriculum is tailored towards providing comprehensive skills’ acquisition, critical digital knowledge and basic literacy, and numeracy training.
With the Biu centre now operational, Zulum’s administration has established three such schools across the state, with existing centres already operational in Maiduguri and Bama.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has disbursed N1 billion to small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) across five local government areas in southern Borno.
The targeted LGAs include Biu, Hawul, Shani, Bayo and Kwaya-Kusar, with the funds intended to support entrepreneurs and enhance business sustainability.
Zulum explained that the direct injection of capital into the SME sector is essential for driving grassroots development and fostering self-reliance in the post-insurgency recovery phase.
In a related development aimed at tackling youth restiveness and promoting social stability, Governor Zulum has ordered immediate employment of 200 young individuals from the Biu Local Government Area.
After the inauguration, Zulum visited Biu Specialist Hospital where he announced the immediate and automatic employment of a number of dedicated volunteer health workers who have served tirelessly.
He also inspected the 100-unit teachers’ housing estate under construction in Biu town. The estate is part of the Borno State Government’s motivational strategy to attract and retain qualified teaching professionals in public schools.
Governor Zulum has also directed immediate commencement of rehabilitation work on the Borno State Hotel Annexe in Biu.
Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
By: Michael Mike
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, has urged enhanced inter-agency collaboration to tackle environmental challenges across Nigeria.
The call was made during a meeting with the Director-General of the National Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC), Abubakar Sadiq, and his team at the Ministry’s Abuja office.
Highlighting potential areas of cooperation, Lawal emphasized the importance of climate-resilient water supply and sanitation (WASH) programs aimed at ensuring year-round access to safe, reliable, and clean water in communities affected by dam operations. He noted that such collaboration would not only improve access to safe drinking water but also reduce the prevalence of water-borne diseases in these areas.
On energy initiatives, the Minister discussed the distribution of clean cooking stoves to households in hydro-basin communities, stressing that this would significantly reduce household energy poverty, deforestation, and emissions through the adoption of energy-efficient cooking technologies.
Other proposed collaboration areas between the Ministry and N-HYPPADEC include erosion and flood management, ecosystem restoration, climate-resilient afforestation programs, youth and community engagement, job creation, and public awareness campaigns.
In his remarks, Abubakar Sadiq described N-HYPPADEC as a strategic partner of the Federal Ministry of Environment, outlining the commission’s impactful interventions across water supply, sanitation, housing, youth empowerment, water transport safety, and institutional strengthening. He also commended the Ministry for its prompt response to flood-prone areas, erosion challenges, and pollution management.
N-HYPPADEC maintains offices in Lokoja, Birnin Kebbi, Ilorin, Lafia, Jos, Gombe, Jalingo, Makurdi, Kaduna, with its headquarters in Minna, Niger State.
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
Health
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
By: Michael Mike
A new policy brief has warned that unless urgent welfare-focused reforms are implemented, the country risks a deepening crisis that could undermine access to quality healthcare nationwide.
Nigeria’s healthcare system is facing mounting pressure as the steady departure of doctors and nurses continues to erode service capacity, raising concerns about long-term system viability.
According to the policy analysis authored by health policy expert Dr Emmanuel Ejimonu, of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, more than 42,000 nurses left Nigeria between 2021 and early 2024, while thousands of Nigerian-trained doctors have registered to practise abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom. The trend shows no sign of slowing, as survey data cited in the report indicate that nearly three-quarters of medical and nursing students intend to seek employment overseas, with about one in three expressing no plans to return.
The report attributed the exodus largely to domestic welfare and governance challenges rather than professional ambition. Health workers interviewed consistently pointed to low and irregular salaries, unsafe and overstretched working environments, limited opportunities for funded specialist training and weak social protection systems. These challenges, the brief notes, have made emigration a rational choice in the face of institutional uncertainty, especially as global demand for health professionals continues to rise.
Although the Federal Government introduced a National Policy on Health Workforce Migration in 2023 to promote ethical recruitment and retention, the brief argues that its impact has been limited. Implementation gaps, inadequate funding and uneven execution at state and facility levels have prevented the policy from delivering meaningful improvements in working conditions.
The consequences of sustained health worker losses are already visible. Teaching hospitals are reportedly struggling to maintain specialist training and mentorship programmes, while recurring strikes highlight growing mistrust between health workers and government authorities. Economically, the country is losing returns on public investments in training, even as staff shortages compromise care delivery in both urban and rural facilities. Remaining workers also face rising burnout, further fuelling migration intentions.
Drawing on international experiences from countries such as Ghana, Kenya, the Philippines and Cuba, the policy brief stresses that health worker migration cannot be completely stopped. Instead, it recommends managing mobility through welfare-based retention strategies and credible governance structures.
Central to the recommendations is a proposed Welfare-First Retention Package, which prioritises guaranteed and timely payment of salaries, improved workplace safety, funded career progression, fair bonding arrangements and strengthened social protection. The package also calls for disciplined use of bilateral agreements and ethical recruitment frameworks to protect Nigeria’s investment in health worker training.
The brief estimates that, if properly funded and implemented, the proposed measures could reduce short-term health worker attrition by up to one-third within two years, while significantly improving retention over a five-year period.
The report stated that reversing the health workforce crisis will require treating welfare reform as a core economic and governance priority, backed by political will, fiscal discipline and strong institutional coordination. Without such action, the report warns, Nigeria risks the gradual hollowing out of its healthcare system, with far-reaching consequences for public health and national development.
Health Worker Exodus Deepens as Policy Brief Warns of Systemic Risk to Nigeria’s Healthcare Sector
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Zulum commissions remodelled ‘2nd chance school’ for vulnerable girls
Environment Minister Calls for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Address Environmental Challenges
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