Africa is experiencing a sharp increase in drug use and trafficking, amid a complex global landscape marked by shifting consumption patterns and expanding illicit markets, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2025 World Drug Report released on June 26.
Cannabis remains the most used drug globally, with 243 million users in 2023, but Africa’s prevalence—especially in Southern and West/Central regions—stands at around 10%, more than double the global average.
Cannabis is also the primary substance for 32% of people receiving treatment for drug disorders on the continent, and Africa accounted for 44% of global cannabis seizures last year, with North Africa acting as a key resin trafficking hub to Europe.
The report also points to an opioid crisis fueled by tramadol, which, alongside heroin, has seen rising use and seizures in Africa. Between 2019 and 2023, 57% of global pharmaceutical opioid seizures occurred in Africa, mostly due to tramadol.
Heroin trafficking increased in Africa even as it declined elsewhere, while cocaine use is growing, particularly in West Africa—a major transit point to Europe.
Amphetamine-type stimulants and new psychoactive substances, including the dangerous synthetic mix “kush,” are spreading in Southern and West Africa. With 1.33 million drug injectors in Africa—204,000 of whom live with HIV—the continent also grapples with severe health impacts.
