Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has said that Africa must close the gap between evidence generated on substance use and the decisions made by governments, warning that the disconnect has serious policy and human consequences.

The UNODC Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the 16th Biennial International Conference on ‘Drugs, Alcohol and Society in Africa,’  organised by the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISA) in partnership with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The two-day event was themed: ‘Substance Use Research and Data Systems in Africa; Advances, Relevance and Challenges.’

He questioned the value of research that does not influence decisions, data that is never used, and policies not informed by evidence, saying they are questions about lives, government priorities and the future of substance use response in Africa.

Akanidomo noted: “Africa does not lack researchers. We do not lack expertise. We do not lack institutions capable of generating knowledge. What we must continue to confront is the gap between the evidence we generate and the decisions we make.

“And that gap has consequences. When we do not know who is using which substances, where the greatest risks are emerging, who is being left behind, or whether our interventions are working, we are not simply dealing with a data problem. 

“We are dealing with a policy problem, a public health problem and, ultimately, a human problem.”

Akanidomo maintained that the relevance of substance use research should not be measured by the number of surveys conducted or reports published, but by what changes because of it, including whether it helps governments allocate resources, identify underserved populations, reveal effectiveness of prevention programmes, and improve access to treatment.

According to him, research must not end when a report is launched. That is often where its most important work should begin. That evidence must reach decision-makers, service institutions, affected communities and professionals.

Akanidomo, therefore, called for reliable national data that reflects African contexts, saying Nigeria and other African countries must not be invisible in the global evidence base and should not have to make critical decisions using evidence that does not reflect their populations.

Also, the Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Prof. Nassirou Bako-Arifari, lamented that West Africa was shifting from being merely a transit hub for illicit drugs to becoming a growing consumer market, with serious socio-economic, public health and security implications.

Bako-Arifari, who was represented by the Head of ECOWAS Drug Prevention and Control Division, Dr. Daniel Amankwaah, said drug abuse, illicit trafficking and related crimes constitute severe challenges across several nations, including ECOWAS member states.

He cited the recently validated West African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (WENDU) Report (2025) which underscored growing public health concerns associated with substance use in the region.

Bako-Arifari added: “Key highlights of the WENDU report – which will be presented shortly – indicate that West Africa is shifting from being merely a transit hub to becoming a growing consumer market.”

He pointed out that the changing dynamics demand enhanced international cooperation, improved treatment infrastructure and effective alternatives to incarceration.

To this end, he said the ECOWAS drug prevention and control programme continued to prioritize expansion of drug treatment and rehabilitation centres across member states.

“As of September 2026, 12 drug treatment and rehabilitation centres in 10 member states have completed renovations and received essential equipment upgrades to improve access to care for people with drug use disorders,” he said.

Bako-Arifari said that over 300 health and allied professionals have been trained as master trainers in their respective countries to champion evidence-based substance abuse prevention and treatment.

According to him, the initiatives reflect a deliberate strategic shift by the commission – moving away from a purely punitive response towards a compassionate, rehabilitative approach.

Bako-Arifari explained that another vital area of progress is the advancement of Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI), noting that traditional punitive measures often fail to address root causes of substance abuse.

“In line with this global best practice, ECOWAS has made significant strides since 2024 by advancing ATI frameworks that prioritize treatment, rehabilitation, and social reintegration. Through targeted pilot projects, ATI training has been successfully implemented in Ghana, Togo, Lagos and the Republic of Benin,” he said.

Bako-Arifari was of the opinion that emerging drug threats do not replace older ones but compound them, adding that while ECOWAS continues to combat cocaine trafficking, the escalating crisis surrounding synthetic opioids – particularly tramadol – requires member states to tackle multiple overlapping threats simultaneously.

He stressed that the ECOWAS Commission recognised the necessity of a balanced approach that addresses both illicit drug supply reduction and the public health and social consequences of substance use.