Government Secondary School in Borno Emerges National Champion in MTN Foundation 2025 Anti-Drug Quiz Battle
Government Day Secondary School, Borno has been declared the national champion of the 2025 MTN Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) Quiz Competition, defeating nine regional finalists in a closely contested grand finale held virtually.
Organised by the MTN Foundation in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the annual competition equips secondary school students and teachers with evidence-based knowledge on the dangers of illicit drugs and empowers them to resist peer pressure.
The massive scale and high-level participation showcase that drug abuse is now a critical national security, public health, and human capital challenge. The urgency for this competition is rooted in data from the 2018 National Drug Use Survey (NDLEA/UNODC), which found that approximately 14.4% (14.3 million) of Nigerians aged 15–64 years had abused a psychoactive substance in the past year, a rate substantially higher than the global average. This epidemic directly targets the youth, making initiatives like the MTN Anti-Substance Abuse Programme essential. The competition is a strategic, evidence-based pillar of the Federal Government’s counter-narcotics efforts, directly aligning with the prevention objectives set out in the National Drug Control Master Plan (2021–2025).
The event featured representatives from the following schools who made it from the State and Regional level to the National level: Government Day Senior Secondary School, Jigawa; Government Day Secondary School, Borno; Government Girls College, Borno, Kebbi GYB Model Science Secondary School; Aber Community Secondary School, Kebbi; Rock and Gardens School, Kogi; Government Secondary School, Kogi; and Urban Development Secondary School, Imo.
Mr. Imande Alexander, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Policy, speaking on behalf of the Secretary to the Benue State Government, Barrister Abba Serumun Deborah, commended the contestants, he said, “Your performance has demonstrated that our youth remain the hope of this nation. We urge all stakeholders to intensify efforts so that young people do not fall victim to the societal ills eroding our communities.”
Representing the Imo State Government, Honourable Chief Ezechukwu Obonna, Special Adviser to the Governor on Narcotics and Illicit Drugs Monitoring, delivered remarks on behalf of the Secretary to the State Government, Honourable Chief Cosmas Iwu. Speaking remotely from an ongoing anti-narcotics operation, he declared: “Substance abuse is a rampant menace destroying our youth. Governor Hope Uzodimma is one of the few governors who created a dedicated office to tackle this challenge through prevention. All hands must be on deck to secure the future of the next generation.”
Mr. Bashir Muhammad, Director of Drug Demand Reduction, NDLEA, announced the final results: third place, second runner-up to Yerwa Government Girls Secondary School, Borno State; second place, first runner-up to GYB Model Secondary School, Kogi State; and first place to Government Day Secondary School, Borno State.
Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director, MTN Foundation, hailed the students as the new face of prevention: “You are all champions. You are now our ASAP Ambassadors. Carry this torch of knowledge back to your communities and become the positive change-agents Nigeria needs.”
Odunayo Sanya presented the prizes, with the winning school receiving one HP laptop, a projector and screen, plus individual HP laptops for its students. Second-place recipients were awarded Samsung Galaxy Tab A9 tablets, while third-place participants received Redmi pads. Teachers from the top-performing schools were recognised with MTN 5G routers and 3 months data bundles.
In closing, Dr. Akanidomo Ibanga, UNODC Project Lead, challenged the finalists to sustain their advocacy: “You have displayed courage, discipline and commitment to informed choices. Whether or not you take home a physical prize today, leave here with the conviction that you can influence your peers and communities. Nigeria needs your voice and example in the fight against substance abuse.”
The 2025 MTN ASAP Quiz Competition concluded with a renewed commitment from all partners to expand evidence-based prevention programmes across Nigerian secondary and tertiary institutions. The full grand finale can be watched on MTN Nigeria’s YouTube Channel.
