As drug use continues to rise globally, Africa is projected to experience a nearly 40 per cent increase by 2030. For Nigeria, home to one of the continent’s largest youth populations on the continent, the implications are urgent.
The country is witnessing an evolving drug use landscape, with substances like shisha, cannabis, cocaine and crack becoming more accessible. Increasingly, young people are being exposed at early ages - heightening risk to their health, education and long-term development. This growing challenge highlights the need for effective, evidence-based prevention strategies that address risk factors early.
One of the most powerful protective factors lies within the family.
Supporting Families as a First Line of Prevention
Recognising the central role families play in shaping children’s outcomes, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in partnership with the Kaduna State Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (KADSAMHSA), has introduced the Strong Families Programme to Nigeria, beginning with a pilot phase in Kaduna State.
The Strong Families Programme is an evidence-based family skills intervention developed by UNODC as part of global efforts to strengthen drug use prevention and support safer, healthier communities.
Implemented in more than 40 countries across six regions, the programme aligns with the UNODC-World Health Organization International Standards on Drug Use Prevention and focuses on strengthening family relationships as a protective factor against drug use, violence and other harmful social outcomes.
Designed for caregivers and children between the ages of 8 and 15, the programme helps families build stronger communication, emotional management, parenting and problem-solving skills. At its core, Strong Families recognises that resilient families contribute to resilient communities and ultimately, a more resilient country.
As part of the pilot rollout, UNODC supported KADSAMHSA to conduct a three-day specialised training for implementers of the Strong Families Programme in Kaduna State.
Through targeted capacity building, frontline implementers from four Local Government Areas - Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Chikun, and Igabi - were equipped with the technical knowledge, facilitation skills and implementation tools needed to deliver the programme across Primary Healthcare Centres, basic education schools, and community platforms.
The training is a strategic investment in prevention - strengthening the systems and people responsible for supporting young Nigerians before they become vulnerable to harmful behaviours.
Evidence consistently shows that strong family environments play a critical role in reducing risky behaviour, violence, school drop out, mental health concerns and other social challenges among young people.
In contexts where systems are stretched and risks are rising, family-based interventions are among the highest-impact, lowest-cost prevention strategies available. Interventions like Strong Families provide practical, community-based solutions that empower caregivers and children alike.
Following the training, implementers will begin rolling out the Strong Families Programme across the four pilot LGAs in Kaduna State, reaching about 400 families in 2026. The pilot phase will help assess local adaptation, strengthen community ownership and generate lessons for possible expansion to other parts of Nigeria.
With the right commitment, Strong Families can become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s prevention architecture, safeguarding millions of young people before they are exposed to risk.
