The Federal Government has launched Nigeria’s first-ever National Policy on Drug and Substance Abuse in Schools, a milestone initiative aimed at curbing the rising trend of addiction among secondary and tertiary students.
Naijaonpoint reports that the policy was unveiled in Abuja on Monday, December 8, by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who described the move as a decisive step toward safeguarding learners and strengthening school safety systems nationwide.
Speaking at the event, Alausa said the ministry had adopted an 80 per cent implementation and 20 per cent policy development model, aligning with global standards that emphasise measurable results.
According to him, “This is the first time Nigeria is developing a national policy and implementation guideline on drug abuse in schools.”
He noted that the reforms were built to strengthen existing frameworks and close critical policy gaps. The minister also appreciated UNESCO, UNICEF and other development partners for supporting the government’s education initiatives.
Alausa explained that the new framework includes counselling, behavioural support systems, and structured intervention pathways for at-risk students.
However, he warned that the government would no longer tolerate habitual offenders.
He said the ministry had begun revising the secondary-school curriculum to embed drug-prevention content, adding that similar modules would soon be extended to primary schools.
To drive implementation, a new Substance Use Prevention Unit has been established.
In partnership with the NDLEA, the unit will coordinate nationwide awareness campaigns, including lectures, competitions and parental-engagement programmes.
He disclosed that compulsory drug-integrity testing would also be introduced for new and returning students, as well as periodically selected undergraduates in universities and colleges.
The Federal Ministry of Education further announced that UBEC and TETFund would collaborate with the NDLEA Academy in Jos to train teachers and bolster school-based support systems intended to reduce drug use and improve learning outcomes.
Meanwhile, the federal government’s newly launched Students Venture Capital Grant (S-VCG) has received 17,914 applications from 402 tertiary institutions across the country.
The National Programme Coordinator, Adebayo Onigbanjo, revealed the figures at the official launch in Abuja. He said submissions were received from 346 public and 56 private universities, with over 1,000 fully completed applications recorded so far.
‘Students Are Hungry For Innovation’ – Alausa
Reacting to the surge in interest, the Minister of Education said the volume of applications reflected students’ growing appetite for innovation and entrepreneurship.
He described the S-VCG as a strategic investment under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, explaining that the programme seeks to identify high-potential ventures and nurture creative ideas on campuses.
The grant offers up to ₦50 million in equity-free seed funding, along with mentorship, incubation support and access to essential tools.
The initiative is being implemented by the Education Ministry and TETFund, with support from the Bank of Industry, Afara Initiative, AfriLabs, Google, and the Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre.
Alausa said the scheme is open to full-time undergraduates from 300 level upward, as well as master’s and PhD candidates with CAC-registered ventures in STEM and medical sciences.
He noted that the first cohort targets 250,000 students, with over 100,000 currently undergoing training across 1,620 centres nationwide.
The minister also highlighted the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF), which provides interest-free loans of up to N10 million, adding that nearly 4,000 staff have already benefited.
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