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One of the major characteristics of Nigeria as a country is its large and youthful population; another is that although it has become the country in Africa with the largest economy, close to half the population lives in extreme poverty. For more than 50 years, illicit drugs have had a presence in the lives of Nigerians, in particular the urban population, as either articles of trade or substances of abuse. It began with cannabis in the 1950s, but the situation today is much more diverse and complex, involving illicit drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines, and pharmaceutical substances such as opioid analgesics. Although there has been a general lack of reliable data on drug availability and use, a recent national survey has provided much-needed information on the state of the drug problem in Nigeria. The annual prevalence of illicit drug use among adults is 14.4 per cent, which is significantly higher than the global prevalence of 5.5 per cent; cannabis is the drug used most often in Nigeria, followed by opioids, cough syrups containing codeine, and tranquillizers and sedatives. High-risk drug users reported adverse health consequences such as drug use disorders and infections. Although most drug users expressed a need for treatment, the country lacks adequate opportunities for treatment and care. The articles published in this issue of the Bulletin on Narcotics have addressed these and other issues, and they deserve greater attention from professionals and policymakers if a major drug crisis is to be averted in the country.
