By Hadiza Isyaku Abdulsalam
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has officially recognized Kaduna State as a benchmark for drug prevention and treatment in Nigeria.
The organization praised the state’s bold reforms and comprehensive approach to tackling substance abuse and mental health challenges in a letter signed by the UNODC Country Representative, Mr. Cheikh Toure, and addressed to Governor Uba Sani.
According to the letter, Kaduna State makes ‘remarkable strides’ in strengthening both institutional and community-based interventions.
Also, the state’s groundbreaking transition from the Kaduna Bureau of Substance Abuse, Prevention and Treatment to the fully integrated Kaduna State Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Agency (KadSAMHSA) was particularly commended.
According to the UNODC, Kaduna’s unified structure, which combines mental health and substance-use interventions under one coordinated agency, aligns with global best practices and stands out as one of the most effective subnational models in Nigeria.
The state government emphasises on prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and public education, through multisectoral coordination, community outreach, and psychosocial support.
The UN agency disclosed that several states, including Yobe, Borno, Bayelsa, and Kwara, have approached the UNODC for guidance on replicating the widely referenced ‘Kaduna Model,’ now regarded as a standard for sustainable and effective drug response across the country.
In the end, UNODC reaffirmed its commitment to provide Kaduna State with technical assistance, capacity building, and program linkages to national and regional drug control strategies. It pledged to further strengthen its partnership with the state government and KadSAMHSA to advance evidence-based prevention and treatment systems.