The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has officially announced the 7th edition of the National Anti-Drug Abuse Competition (NADAC) for secondary school students across Nigeria.
This announcement was made in a statement signed by the National Chairman of ACPN, Pharm. Ambrose Ezeh, emphasising the competition’s critical role in combating drug abuse among Nigerian youths.
According to ACPN, the NADAC competition was initiated eight years ago to align with the United Nations International Standards on drug use prevention, and as well, structured to commemorate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, observed annually on 26 June.
Citing a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), ACPN highlighted that Nigeria’s drug abuse prevalence rate stands at 14.3 percent—nearly three times the global average of 5.6 percent. The association stated that this alarming statistic necessitates creative and proactive approaches to curb the trend.
Pharm. Ezeh stressed that the competition serves as an educational platform for young students, discouraging substance abuse and guiding them toward a better future.
“The 2025 edition of NADAC will be held in a poetry format, requiring participants to write and present poems addressing drug abuse and its consequences. The theme for this edition is “Drug Abuse: The Road to No Road.” Participants will first submit written poems, not exceeding 1,000 words. The top four contestants will then be invited to a live event titled “In the Poet’s Voice,” where they will perform their poems before a large audience.
The ACPN disclosed that the competition will reward winners with cash prizes, with the Gold Winner receiving ₦350,000, the Silver Winner ₦250,000, and the Bronze Winner ₦150,000. It says the competition is open to all secondary school students in Nigeria, and participants must be actively enrolled in a school at the time of registration.
“Interested participants are required to sign up on the ACPN website at www.acpnnigeria.org, navigate to the Upcoming Event section, and click on ACPN NADAC 2025 to register. They must then write a poem on the given topic, ensuring it does not exceed 1,000 words, and submit it via email to dicacpn2017@gmail.com”.
“Registration for the competition opens on 1 April , 2025, and closes on 31 May, 2025, while the submission deadline is 5 June, 2025. The top four finalists from the first stage will travel to participate in the grand finale, which will take place during the 44th Annual International Scientific Conference of the ACPN later in the year”.
The ACPN also emphasised that each participant is allowed only one submission, as multiple entries will result in immediate disqualification.
Pharm. Ezeh reaffirmed ACPN’s unwavering commitment to fighting drug abuse among Nigerian youths through education and engagement, adding that for more details, interested individuals are encouraged to visit www.acpnnigeria.org or contact dicacpn2017@gmail.com.
 has officially announced the 7th edition of the National){kind=link}