A Photo File : MTN

MTN Foundation and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have launched a 24/7 psychosocial support helpline, 08010203040,  to connect Nigerians with professional psychologists for free counselling in multiple local languages.

The initiative was unveiled in Kaduna on Monday during a stakeholders’ workshop on teachers’ training, where it was disclosed that the helpline is a key intervention within the MTN Foundation’s wider Anti-Substance Abuse Programme, aimed at training 1,440 teachers and sensitising 86,400 public secondary school students across 12 states

Speaking at the flag-off in Kaduna, MTN Foundation representative Abubakar Zubairu said the programme would also include quiz competitions, community sensitisation outreaches with the National Youth Service Corps, and a three-day training for 60 secondary school teachers in Kaduna and Kwara.

“Our stakeholder convenings in Lagos and Abuja further strengthened our multi-sectoral partnerships in this fight,” Zubairu noted.

“The teachers’ training in Kaduna and Kwara will pave the way for a digital framework to expand the impact. The need to scale this subject matter is pertinent, and we trust all stakeholders will support this noble cause as we work towards a drug-free nation.”

The MTN Foundation stressed that success would be measured not only by the numbers trained but also by long-term changes in behaviour and attitudes among young people.

It can be recalled that PUNCH Online reported on September 10 that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in partnership with the Kwara State Government and MTN Foundation, trained 30 secondary school teachers in Ilorin under the “Unplugged Teachers Training” programme.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who was represented at the event, announced plans to extend the training to 1,440 teachers, ultimately reaching about 86,400 students across the state.

The two-day workshop equipped teachers with strategies such as decision-making, social skills development, and resilience-building to prevent drug use and support students already struggling with addiction.

Trainers highlighted the role of educators as counsellors, while participants described the training as both impactful and timely in addressing drug-related social and security challenges.

With its combined focus on teacher training, student sensitisation, community outreach, and psychosocial support, the MTN Foundation’s 2025 campaign seeks to strengthen schools and communities while empowering young Nigerians to resist the dangers of substance abuse.