By Matthew Ukachunwa
Findings by the Association of Advocates Against Alcohol Harm in Nigeria (ASAAAHN) has shown that youth exposure to alcohol and underage alcohol use in Nigeria has become a rising health and development threat.
ASAAHN made the declaration at its 1st National Conference on Alcohol Harm Prevention, and 5th Annual General Meeting which was held on the main theme: “Strengthening Alcohol Policy Advocacy and Harm Prevention and Reduction for A Healthier Nigeria.”
The event was held on Friday 14th November, 2025 at Bible Society of Nigeria Multipurpose Hall in Lagos.
In order to tackle the menace of the topic, “Youth Exposure to Alcohol and Underage Alcohol Use: A Rising Health and Development Threat,” organizers of the conference set up a three-member panel session where the issue was discussed extensively at the conference.
Itunu Oluwa, a member of the panel, said that exposure to alcohol at home, social media, peer groups, as well as the glamorization of alcoholic beverages are among the factors driving underage drinking of alcohol in Nigeria.
She asserted that children in the country are not equipped with what is required to overcome early exposure to alcohol consumption.
Barrister Eze Eluchie, an Attorney at Law, and a member of the panel, laid emphasis on enforcing stricter alcohol access and marketing law by government as well as by advocates.
“We’re still a very long way,” Eluchie said, and, therefore, suggested the use of taxation to increase access to alcohol. “Explore those who have been impacted by alcohol,” he said.
Another panelist, Aderonke Odunlaki, expressed the opinion that to curb underage drinking of alcoholic beverages, the “family should put down the right values.”
She pointed out that the school setting is a formal one that can be used to enlighten parents through Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in tackling underage alcohol intake.
“Do more of prevention in all levels of education, homes, schools and communities,” she stressed.
The second panel session at the 1st ASAAHN conference discussed the topic, “Media and Advocacy: Shaping Public Perception and Policy Action on Alcohol Harm.”
At the hybrid conference which was conducted both online and in-person, a presentation was made on the subject: “State of the Art in Global Alcohol Policy and Key Lessons for Nigeria.”
Professor Samuel Oluranti, a Professor of Sociology at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, was the keynote speaker at the 1st ASAAHN conference.
In his presentation on the main theme of the conference, the don advised alcohol harm prevention advocates in Nigeria to take their message to young people in the country by using methods that children will understand.
He also advised the advocates to actualize alcohol consumption reducing policy.
“We shall take it upon our heart to start from our home. Each one teach one. Let’s teach our children,” because “most often what they learn from school, what they learn from their peers” can influence them more strongly.
The sociology professor pointed out that the community and religious groups have important roles to play in counselling and discouraging children regarding the dangerous effect of alcohol consumption.
“We must nip this in the bud. Let’s go to begin to use the method that children will understand. Go to schools, liaise with career counsellors and mobilize them so that from that level they have the consciousness of the danger of alcohol,” Oluranti stressed while lecturing on the main theme of the conference titled: “Strengthening Alcohol Policy Advocacy and Harm Prevention and Reduction for A Healthier Nigeria.”
He said that an advocacy group must penetrate higher institutions of learning, speak through the students’ union and departments about the dangers of alcohol consumption.
“Music and drama are also ways,” of spreading the message of alcohol harm prevention to young people, the senior university teacher asserted.
Oluranti highlighted that it is imperative for the advocates to work together to actualize the policy that will reduce consumption of alcohol in Nigeria.
H e said, “There is a need for us to have a total policy that will cover every aspect of our existence as human beings in Nigeria, and protect every individual without age limit.”
Professor Oluranti was sad that, according to him, “Home is one of the main areas that people get into drinking alcohol. We learn from our parents, environment, brothers and sisters.”
A facilitator speaking at the event warned that taking alcohol causes cancer, cardio-vascular disease, stroke, hypertension, among other ailments. “No amount of alcohol is good for the human heart. No amount of alcohol consumption is good for the human brain,” he emphasized.
While calling for actionable alcohol harm prevention policy in Nigeria, the facilitator stated that alcohol harm prevention and reduction policy is necessary in Nigeria because it should prevent violence, homicide and enable the citizens to reach health for all, as well as create healthier communities.
