The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria has backed the Federal Government’s move to decriminalise attempted suicide, but warned that changing the law alone will not stop suicidal behaviour.
The psychiatrists urged the Federal Government to tackle poverty, unemployment, insecurity, hunger and other socioeconomic problems that contribute to mental distress and hopelessness among Nigerians.
The association made the call while reacting to the Federal Executive Council’s approval for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to transmit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly seeking amendments to the Mental Health Act to decriminalise suicide.
The APN described the proposed reform as a major step forward in Nigeria’s mental health system, saying people experiencing suicidal crises should be treated primarily as individuals in need of medical and psychological support rather than as criminals.
The PUNCH reports that the FEC approved the proposed amendment on August 19, 2026.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, said the reform was aimed at reducing suicide deaths and attempts by 15 per cent by 2030.
Pate, while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, said suicide remained a major public health concern in Nigeria and globally.
He cited World Health Organisation data indicating that more than 7,000 Nigerians die by suicide annually, while an estimated 300,000 suicide attempts are recorded each year.
According to the minister, more than 450,000 Nigerians also require psychosocial support annually as a result of the wider impact of suicide on families, friends and communities.
Reacting to the development, APN President, Dr Veronica Nyamali, and Secretary, Prof Kingsley Okonoda, said the proposed legal reform must be accompanied by concrete measures to improve Nigerians’ living conditions.
The association noted that mental health was influenced by factors beyond the healthcare system, including economic hardship, unemployment and underemployment, rising transport costs, poor roads, inadequate housing, insecurity, unreliable electricity and water supply, food insecurity and the rising cost of living.
“When citizens are overwhelmed by poverty, insecurity, unemployment, hunger, social isolation and hopelessness, the burden on mental health inevitably increases,” the association said.
The psychiatrists said the government’s responsibility should therefore extend beyond hospitals and mental health facilities.
They argued that policies that make life safer, more dignified and economically sustainable should also be regarded as mental health and suicide prevention measures.
APN demands implementation of Mental Health Act
The association also called on the Federal Government to accelerate the implementation of the Mental Health Act 2021, saying the law had remained largely unimplemented despite its potential to transform mental healthcare delivery in the country.
The APN said decriminalising suicide must go hand in hand with expanding access to quality and affordable mental healthcare.
It also warned that access would remain meaningless if essential psychiatric medicines were unavailable or too expensive for patients.
The association called for an urgent review of the Essential Medicines List for Mental Health and urged the National Health Insurance Authority to include essential psychiatric medicines in its coverage.
According to the psychiatrists, doing so would reduce the financial burden on patients and their families and make mental healthcare more accessible.
The APN further urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to maintain the momentum behind the proposed reform and ensure that legislative changes are supported by practical interventions addressing the socioeconomic conditions that leave Nigerians vulnerable to mental health crises.
It also called for stronger measures against substance use, drug trafficking and the illicit distribution and misuse of psychoactive substances, noting that these could contribute to suicidal crises.
The psychiatrists said suicide prevention should ultimately focus on restoring hope, dignity, social connection and a sense of purpose among people experiencing mental health challenges.
“At its core, suicide prevention is about restoring hope, dignity, connection and meaning,” the association said.
