UN report highlights Africa's growing role in global drug trafficking

Cannabis, known locally as marijuana or weed, remains the most commonly sourced, trafficked, and used drug in Africa, according to the 2024 World Drug Report.

The report, released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), also highlighted the increasing trend of the continent becoming a key transit hub for other illicit drugs, including cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine,

Read full articleand pharmaceutical opioids.

The report, launched in Accra during the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, revealed that between January 2019 and June 2024, a significant amount of cocaine, totaling 126.4 tons, was seized while en route to or from West Africa.

"Africa is increasingly becoming a key transit hub for drugs, with substances such as cocaine from Latin America, and heroin and methamphetamine from South-West Asia passing through on their way to Europe and other destinations," the report stated, according to Graphic Online.

The infiltration of these drugs into local markets has exacerbated health challenges and increased drug consumption and dependency within communities.

“Cocaine, which was previously believed to only transit the region, is increasingly used, with the number of people entering treatment for cocaine rising,” the report noted.

Additionally, the non-medical use of pharmaceutical opioids like tramadol remains high, especially in North, West, and Central Africa.

To combat these growing drug threats, the report emphasized the need for member states to invest in prevention and treatment programs, implement evidence-based strategies, and enhance international cooperation.

Dr. Amado Philip de Andrés, Regional Representative at the UNODC Regional Office for West and Central Africa, highlighted the importance of these measures, stating, "The evidence is clear: investing in drug prevention saves lives by protecting communities from the harmful effects of drugs. It also weakens criminal groups by reducing the profits they generate from people’s addictions."