The Silent Trap: How Addiction Is Destroying Nigerian Youth

Addiction in Nigeria is one of the most underestimated dangers affecting us in today’s era. People often assume it’s only about drugs or alcohol, but addiction can take many forms; phone addiction, food addiction, gambling, even attention. But when it comes to substance addiction, the damage hits hardest, especially among today’s youth.

A Morning Reminder

One morning, around 6:40 a.m., I was on my way for my NYSC clearance. While sitting inside a bus at the park, I noticed a man walking barefoot along the road. His clothes were torn, his hair unkempt, and his skin had turned pale white; a sign of poor hygiene and neglect.

He held a stick of what looked like a cigarette, or maybe weed. As I watched him, I felt something shift inside me. My first reaction was pity, but then it turned into realization. This man’s life was completely consumed by addiction. Whatever money he got, through pity or petty theft, likely went straight to that substance in his hand.

It made me understand something deeply unsettling: addiction doesn’t just destroy health, it destroys purpose.

The Normalization of Substance Abuse

In today’s Nigeria, addiction to weed and alcohol has become disturbingly normal. It’s almost a cultural badge now, as though you’re not “cool” unless you smoke or drink. Refusing to take substances suddenly makes you the odd one out, the one who “doesn’t vibe.”

Walk through any hangout spot, club, or even university campus, and you’ll see it. The majority of young people smoke or drink. Many have no idea when casual use turns into addiction. It starts as a “stress reliever” or “just one puff,” but soon enough, it becomes a daily ritual, a need that controls you.

The Price of Escape

Addiction doesn’t just take your money or your health, it takes your freedom. It eats into every opportunity you could have used to improve your life.

I’ve seen people who claim they’re broke but somehow always have money for weed. You’ll hear them say, “I may not have money for food, but I must buy weed.” That’s how deep the control runs. The substance becomes their god; demanding worship in the form of money, time, and sanity.

And it doesn’t end there. Addiction breeds desperation. It pushes people to lie, steal, or beg just to fund their next high.

The Cycle of Desperation

Every time I take the bus back from my NYSC duties, I see young men climbing in, begging for money. They claim they just got out of prison and need a few naira for food or water. I used to ignore them, assuming laziness.

One day, a woman sitting beside me said something that stuck: “If you give them money, follow them after. You’ll see them use it to buy weed or drink.”

And she was right. For many, begging has become part of the cycle; not out of genuine need, but to sustain an addiction. It’s not always about survival anymore. It’s about chasing a temporary escape.

Addiction Is Stealing Our Youth

The truth is harsh: addiction is quietly destroying the Nigerian youth. It’s not just about ruined lungs or damaged livers, it’s about wasted potential. Young people are losing their focus, creativity, and drive to substances that promise pleasure but deliver pain.

The bigger problem is silence. We joke about smoking. We glamorize alcohol. We call it “enjoyment” or “vibes,” but we’re feeding a fire that’s burning a generation from the inside out.

Breaking the Cycle

Addiction doesn’t start with a plan to self-destruct. It begins with curiosity; one drink, one puff, one try. But it ends with dependence. To break free, we have to talk about it more openly. Families, schools, and communities need to start having uncomfortable conversations about drugs, alcohol, and the illusion of escape they bring.

Recovery starts with awareness. It starts with understanding that self-control is not weakness and that saying no is still strength.

That man I saw that morning may still be walking barefoot, lost in his addiction. But his story isn’t unique; it’s everywhere, in our streets, schools, and even homes.

Addiction in Nigeria is Now Rampant!

Addiction doesn’t discriminate. It consumes quietly until nothing is left. And unless we start confronting it, today’s youth will keep trading their futures for a fleeting high.