Capacity building program: Polaris Bank champions drug-free Nigeria
Polaris Bank has demonstrated it’s commitment to a drug-free society through the support of a Media Practitioners’ Capacity Building Programme organized on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Lagos.
The event organised by the Nigerian Online Media Alliance (NOMA), a coalition of digital media publishers and journalists to commemorate the 2026 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
As part of its contribution to the successful hosting of the programme, the bank donated a variety of branded gift items, including cable chargers, water bottles, umbrellas, piggy banks, and mathematical sets.
The programme was with the theme: “Responsible Media, Drug-Free Nigeria: The Journalist’s Role in Prevention and Advocacy”.
In his keynote address, Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, described drug abuse and illicit trafficking as a major public health challenge affecting countries across the world.
He noted that Nigeria has continued to grapple with high prevalence of substance abuse, making it imperative for all stakeholders to join forces in addressing the menace.
He emphasized that the shortage of mental health professionals in Nigeria makes public education and awareness even more critical.
He disclosed that through international collaborations and professional training programmes, more than 1,200 substance use prevention and treatment professionals have been trained across Nigeria.
On his part, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohamed Buba Marwa, warned that Africa faces a rapidly growing drug problem and that Nigeria remains at the centre of the challenge.
According to him, while global drug use is expected to rise moderately by 2030, Africa could witness an increase of up to 40 percent.
Marwa noted that Nigeria’s drug use prevalence remains significantly higher than the global average, citing figures that place national prevalence at 14.4 percent compared to the global average of 5.6 percent.
While highlighting the NDLEA’s achievements in recent years, he disclosed that over 77,000 arrests have been made, more than 14,000 convictions secured, and the seizure of over 15 million kilograms of illicit substances carried out nationwide.
Despite these successes, he stressed that law enforcement alone cannot solve the problem, even as he called on all hands to be on deck.
Speaking earlier in her welcome address, Theresa Moses, NOMA Chairperson described the event as a strategic intervention aimed at equipping journalists with the knowledge and skills required to address one of Nigeria’s most pressing social challenges.
The conference which hopes to hold annually was in collaboration with the International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals (ISSUP Nigeria), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba.
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