Drinking practices and alcohol-related problems among Nigerian students

Background: Alcohol-related problems are increasing among Nigerian University students. However, very few studies have explored the ways in which hazardous drinking practices facilitate these problems in Nigerian University students, aside from quantitative studies focussing on students in South-Western Nigeria. Methods: Drawing on qualitative semi-structured interviews involving students from a South-Eastern Nigerian University, this study begins to address these gaps. The participants were recruited through convenience and snowballing sampling techniques, and the data were analysed thematically. Results: The findings show that 24 out of 31 participants engaged in heavy drinking by consuming between 3 and 9 bottles of beer/stout or flavoured spirits regularly. These heavy drinkers had suffered financial, academic, and health problems. Some lost valuable personal items such as mobile phones, wallets, and money as a result of drinking, while others missed examinations because drinking had rendered them either too ill or had caused them to oversleep and missed the examination. Almost all participants had suffered multiple health-related problems such as hangovers, accidents and injuries, liver enlargement, stomach ache, attempted suicide (under the influence of alcohol), and sex with strangers. Conclusion: Evidence-based public health interventions to address easy alcohol availability and heavy drinking should be implemented in Nigerian Universities.