World Drug Report 2025: Key Trends and Policy Challenges for Africa
ISSUP Global, UNODC, and the African Union invite you to an upcoming webinar on the World Drug Report 2025, focusing on key trends and policy challenges for Africa.
Date: Thursday, 28th August 2025
Time: 2:00 PM London | 4:00 PM EAT | 3PM SAST | 9:00 AM ET
In this webinar, we will explore key findings and insights from the 2025 UNODC World Drug Report, with a particular emphasis on their relevance and implications for Africa. Drawing from the Drug Market Patterns and Trends module, the Contemporary Issues on Drugs booklet, and the Special Points of Interest fascicle, the session will spotlight recent global and regional developments, emerging drug trends, and pressing policy issues.
The presentation will highlight how Africa is being affected by shifting drug markets, new consumption patterns, and evolving trafficking routes. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the report’s major takeaways and the specific challenges and opportunities they present for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders across the continent.
Intended audience:
This webinar is intended for:
- Policy-makers and government officials involved in drug control, public health, and law enforcement.
- Healthcare professionals and treatment providers working in prevention, treatment, and recovery support.
- Researchers, academics, and analysts focused on substance use, drug markets, and public health.
- NGOs and community organisations working on drug prevention and rehabilitation.
- Regional bodies and development partners interested in the intersection of drugs, security, and development in Africa (UNODC, AU etc.)
Learning outcomes:
By attending this webinar, participants will be able to:
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Understand the key findings of the UNODC World Drug Report 2025, with an emphasis on drug trends and market developments affecting Africa.
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To identify emerging patterns in drug production, trafficking, and consumption within African regions and how they compare to global trends.
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To identify the policy implications of the report’s findings for national drug control strategies, public health responses, and regional cooperation in Africa.
Presenters:
Dr. Anselme Simeon Sanou
Dr. Anselme Simeon Sanou has more than 15 years of experience in epidemiology and international health with national, regional and international organisations in designing and implementing various programmes to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats.
Since 2021, he has been leading the Health and Drug Demand Reduction Unit at the Regional Office for West and Central Africa of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In his daily work, he coordinates programmes/projects related to drug information systems, drug use prevention, treatment of drug use disorders in the region.
He is a medical epidemiologist and holds a Medical Degree from the University of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), a Master in Epidemiology from the University of Bordeaux (France), and a PhD in International Health and Epidemiology from the University of Bergen (Norway).
Dr. Olubusayo Akinola
Dr. Olubusayo Akinola serves as the Head of the Social Welfare, Drug Control, and Crime Prevention Division at the African Union Commission. She has extensive experience in designing and supporting the implementation of community-based interventions, as well as strategies for recovery and social reintegration of individuals affected by substance use disorders.
Dr. Akinola works closely with African Union Member States, international development partners, and civil society organisations to advance grassroots-level responses and promote age-appropriate, gender-sensitive policies, particularly those addressing substance use challenges among women, children, and adolescents across the continent. Her work has contributed to several regional and national initiatives in drug policy evaluation, and she plays a central role in facilitating inter-agency collaboration and real-time data exchange within the Pan-African Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (PAENDU).
She holds a PhD in Public Health with a specialisation in Epidemiology, a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of East London, and a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. Dr. Akinola is also a Fulbright alumna, having completed the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program in substance abuse prevention, treatment, and policy at Virginia Commonwealth University, USA. She is a recipient of the Walden University Presidential Award for Research Dissemination.
Martin O. Agwogie, PhD
Dr. Agwogie is the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Initiative on Substance Abuse (GISA) and serves as National President of ISSUP Nigeria and a Board Member of ISSUP Global. He is also the Assistant Coordinator of ICUDDR Africa and National Coordinator of the Universal Prevention Curriculum (UPC) in Nigeria.
A global trainer in drug demand reduction, Dr. Agwogie contributed to the UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention and the UNODC guidelines on the role of law enforcement in school-based prevention. He is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University and a Fulbright (Hubert Humphrey) Fellow in Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Policy.
With over 29 years of experience in drug control, including senior roles at Nigeria’s NDLEA, Dr. Agwogie has published extensively and presented at international conferences. He holds a PhD in Psychology and multiple master’s degrees in addiction studies, psychology, and human resource management.
Moderators:
Goodman Sibeko
ISSUP Scientific Advisor.
Radolf Nortey
ISSUP National Chapters Coordinator, African Region.
Language:
The event will be in English with interpretation available in French.
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Interpretation
Interpretation Instructions for French speakers:
Access the French Interpretation: https://meeting.interactio.com/link/wdrafrica#app
Enter the meeting code: wdrafrica
Select the language channel: French
A few important details on how to listen to the interpretation:
By phone: The best way is to open the Interactio app and listen to the interpretation on your phone while watching the video meeting through your computer;
By computer: If you want to listen to the interpretation on the same device as the video meeting, you will need to select 'No Audio' in the GoToWebinar Control Panel, and only listen through the Interactio web app at meeting.interactio.com.
Webinars and online events delivered and hosted by the International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) are provided for informational purposes only. They are educational in nature and do not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.