ECOWAS Enhances Nigerian Data Expertise to Counter Growing Drug Abuse Challenges

Regional Leaders Emphasise Data‑Driven Responses

On 11 August 2026, Lagos hosted a three‑day capacity‑building workshop that brought together Nigeria’s drug‑use epidemiology network (NENDU), officials from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and representatives from all six geopolitical zones. The event, organised by the Nigerian Network for Epidemiology on Drug Use (NENDU) with the backing of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, aimed to sharpen the technical skills needed to collect, validate and analyse drug‑related data.

Why Better Data Matters

Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs at ECOWAS, opened the session by reminding participants that “substance‑abuse issues in West Africa are both complex and constantly evolving.” She warned that without up‑to‑date, reliable statistics, policies risk being reactive rather than preventive.

Dr Daniel Amankwaah, head of ECOWAS’s Drug Prevention and Control Division, echoed this sentiment, urging member states to adopt a unified monitoring system that captures the scale, characteristics and trends of both drug supply and demand. He stressed that a coordinated health‑law‑enforcement approach, rooted in public‑health principles, is essential for designing interventions that address the problem holistically.

From WENDU to NENDU: A Regional Data Architecture

In 2013, ECOWAS launched the West African Network for Drug Use Epidemiology (WENDU) to serve as a regional hub for drug‑use statistics. Since then, five comprehensive WENDU reports have been published, with a sixth report for 2025 already validated by national focal points and awaiting final release.

Each member state operates its own national network to feed data into WENDU. In Nigeria, NENDU was created to improve the quality and timeliness of drug‑use information, ensuring that local nuances are reflected in regional analyses. The Lagos workshop was designed to reinforce NENDU’s capacity to produce high‑quality reports that can directly inform evidence‑based policies across ECOWAS.

Key Sessions and Practical Outcomes

Participants engaged in hands‑on training covering data‑collection protocols, validation techniques, and statistical software tools. Dr Amankwaah highlighted that robust data not only illuminate emerging trends but also help prioritize resources, making interventions more cost‑effective.

Dr Amina Z. Kazaure, Director of the Hospital Services Department at Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, thanked ECOWAS for its sustained partnership, noting that improved data will strengthen prevention, treatment and rehabilitation programmes both nationally and regionally.

Ms Henrietta Bakura‑Onyeneke, head of the Narcotics and Drug Abuse Division, called on attendees to move beyond “routine reporting” and treat data collection as a core public‑health function. She urged the group to identify common reporting bottlenecks and co‑create actionable solutions.

Looking Ahead

The workshop concluded with a screening of an APO Group video that outlined the social, health and economic toll of drug misuse across ECOWAS. The visual underscored the urgency of translating data into decisive action.

As Dr Amankwaah summed up, “By joining forces, we will succeed.” The ECOWAS Commission reaffirmed its commitment to supporting member states in delivering high‑quality drug‑use data, a cornerstone for the upcoming 2025 WENDU report that will be shared globally.

With strengthened technical capacities, Nigeria’s NENDU is poised to feed more accurate, timely information into the regional system, helping West Africa anticipate and curb the next wave of substance‑abuse challenges.