Impact of Drug Abuse on Human Capital Development Among Students in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Ezekiel Gimba Jingbe

doi:10.56201/ijssmr.vol.12no7.2026.pg1.11

📄 Download Paper

Impact of Drug Abuse on Human Capital Development Among Students in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Ezekiel Gimba Jingbe

Abstract

Drug abuse has emerged as a major public health, educational, and socio-economic challenge that threatens human capital development among students in Nigerian tertiary institutions. As institutions responsible for producing the skilled workforce required for national development, universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education are increasingly confronted with the adverse effects of substance abuse on students' academic performance, cognitive functioning, skill acquisition, and employability. This paper examines the impact of drug abuse on human capital development among students in Nigerian tertiary institutions using a theoretical and desk-based approach. The study is anchored on Human Capital Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Strain Theory, which provide explanations for the causes of drug abuse and its implications for educational outcomes and workforce productivity. The paper identifies peer group influence, weak institutional monitoring, easy access to illicit drugs, unemployment and economic hardship, and family instability as major socio-structural factors promoting drug abuse among students. The study further reveals that drug abuse contributes to poor academic achievement, reduced skill acquisition, cognitive and psychological impairment, diminished employability, and institutional disruption, thereby weakening Nigeria's human capital base and limiting national productivity and global competitiveness. The paper concludes that addressing drug abuse is essential for strengthening human capital development and achieving sustainable national development. It recommends comprehensive drug education and awareness programmes, improved counselling and mental health services, stricter enforcement of anti-drug policies within tertiary institutions, stronger collaboration between educational institutions and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency , and the implementation of socio-economic policies that reduce youth unemployment, poverty, and other structural conditions that predispose students to substance abuse.

Keywords

Drug abusehuman capital developmenttertiary institutions and national development.

References

Akinpelu, K. A., Ogedengbe, T. J., Fagbenle, A. O., & Iyun, M. O. (2024). Prevalence and pattern of drug abuse among public tertiary institutions students in Osun State. FUOYE Journal of Criminology and Security Studies, 3(1). Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice-Hall. Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital: A theoretical and empirical analysis, with special reference to education. National Bureau of Economic Research. Ezeogu, B.-J. I. (2022). Determinants, patterns and problems of drug use and abuse among Nigerian undergraduates: A review of literature. International Journal of Health and Social Inquiry, 8(1). Idoko, C. A., Chidolue, I. C., Idoko, C. I., Eze, C. K., & Ucheya, E. (2023). Substance abuse among medical students of a Nigerian university: Prevalence, factors influencing use, and effects on academic performance. International Journal of Medicine and Health Development, 28(2), 156–160. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmh.ijmh_73_22 Merton, R. K. (1938). Social structure and anomie. American Sociological Review, 3(5), 672– 682. https://doi.org/10.2307/2084686 National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. (2023). National drug control master plan implementation report 2023. National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. (2024). Annual report 2024. National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. National Universities Commission. (2022). Annual report 2022. National Universities Commission. Olanrewaju, J. A., Hamzat, E. O., Enya, J. I., Udekwu, M. O., Osuoya, Q., Bamidele, R., Johnson, O. F., Johnson, B. S., Olanrewaju, I., & Owolabi, J. O. (2022). An assessment of drug and substance abuse prevalence: A cross-sectional study among undergraduates in selected southwestern universities in Nigeria. Journal of International Medical Research, 50(10). https://doi.org/10.1177/03000605221130039 Schultz, T. W. (1971). Investment in human capital: The role of education and of research. Free Press. Soremekun, R. O., Omole, O. E., Adeyemi, O. C., & Oshatimi, A. M. (2021). Assessment of use of psychoactive and other non-prescription drugs among students of selected tertiary institutions in Ekiti State, South West Nigeria: A baseline study. Heliyon, 7(2), e06232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06232 Tertiary Education Trust Fund. (2023). Annual report 2023. TETFund. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2018). Drug use in Nigeria 2018. United Nations. https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and- analysis/statistics/Drugs/Drug_Use_Survey_Nigeria_2019_BOOK.pdf United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2024). World drug report 2024. United Nations. https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/world-drug-report-2024.html World Bank. (2018). The human capital project. World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/human-capital World Bank. (2024). World development indicators 2024. World Bank. https://databank.worldbank.org/source/world-development-indicators World Health Organization. (2019). International classification of diseases for mortality and morbidity statistics (11th ed.). World Health Organization. https://icd.who.int/ World Health Organization. (2024). World health statistics 2024: Monitoring health for the SDGs. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/data/gho/publications/world- health-statistics

Impact of Drug Abuse on Human Capital Development Among Students in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Abstract

Keywords

References

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH