Shettima pledges FG backing as MTN, UNODC launch youth-focused drug survey

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja

Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured the federal government’s full commitment to a landmark national survey on substance use, led by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the MTN Nigeria Foundation, emphasising its role in safeguarding Nigeria’s youth and national survival.

Speaking on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa during the signing of the letter of acceptance for cooperation on the National Substance Use Survey, Shettima described the initiative as essential. “We expect the findings to land as policy inputs, not as documents, and we expect a full and final report no later than the first quarter of next year,” he stated.

According to a statement issued by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President stressed that his office’s involvement goes beyond ceremony. “I want to be clear that the Office of the Vice President’s role is not ceremonial. We are in this for the outcome because the survey report will provide relevant authorities with granular local government data required to design and implement critical interventions.

“We are establishing a Project Management Office (PMO) within this office. The PMO will coordinate government’s participation across all stages: questionnaire design, field oversight, inter-agency engagement, and the launch and utilisation of the final report.”

Shettima praised the partners’ contributions as a model for private sector-driven national development. Earlier, the MTN Nigeria Foundation Executive Director, Mrs Odunayo Sanya, highlighted the survey’s aim to deepen ties with the government.

“The initiative is aimed at deepening the partnership between the Foundation and the federal government in terms of national development and preserving the future of Nigeria’s youth population,” she said.

Sanya noted that the comprehensive local government-level survey aligns with MTN’s ongoing projects nationwide. The UNODC Country Representative, Cheikh Ousmane Toure, hailed the collaboration as a testament to Nigeria’s resolve under President Bola Tinubu. He described it as “a powerful signal of the country’s determination under President Tinubu to combat drug abuse and related crimes.”

Toure added that the UNODC’s technical expertise was spurred by Nigeria’s leadership. “The UNODC was inspired to commit its technical expertise in the project by the quality of leadership demonstrated by Nigeria, which has shown in concrete terms how vision and purpose combine to deliver landmark results.”

He affirmed the UNODC’s ongoing commitment, calling the project “the beginning of a more strategic engagement between the government of Nigeria, the private sector and the United Nations family”.

Among those present were the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, and MTN Nigeria Foundation Board non-executive director, Simon Aranonu.