Vanguard Mental Health Summit 3.0: Nigeria losing young people to suicide as mental health law stalls, psychiatrists, advocates warn

… Link surge to depression, poverty, environmental stress, genetic vulnerabilities.

By Sola Ogundipe & Chioma Obinna

Nigeria’s suicide crisis is worsening as psychiatrists and advocates link rising deaths among youths to untreated depression, poverty, and policy neglect. At the Vanguard Mental Health Summit 3.0, experts faulted the government’s failure to implement the 2022 Mental Health Act, warning that inaction is costing lives every day.

Noting that three years after Nigeria signed the long-awaited Mental Health Act into law, the stakeholders warned that government’s inaction is worsening the country’s suicide crisis, now fuelled by untreated depression, poverty, environmental stress, and genetic vulnerabilities.

The warning came during the panel discussions at the well attended forum held in Lagos under the theme “Stemming the Rising Tide of Suicide in Nigeria” and the sub-theme “Substance and Silence: Unmasking the Dual Crisis of Addiction and Suicide.”

The event brought together psychiatrists, policymakers, advocates, journalists, and development partners in a unified call for urgent implementation of the Mental Health Act and stronger national response systems.

 “Mental health is not a luxury—it’s a necessity”

In his welcome address, Eze Anaba, the Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, said the summit was conceived to create a platform for dialogue and practical solutions around mental health—a mission that has grown stronger since its inception in 2021.

“When we convened the first edition of this summit, our goal was clear: to create a space where experts, policymakers, and everyday Nigerians could come together to confront the stigma surrounding mental health and chart practical solutions for a healthier, more compassionate society,” Anaba said.

He noted that worsening economic hardship is deepening the nation’s mental health burden. “Just last week, the World Bank reported that about 139 million Nigerians are now living in poverty—an increase of nine million from previous figures. This harsh economic reality inevitably pushes more people to the edge, and sadly, for some, it may lead to the painful conclusion that life is no longer worth living,” he said.

Anaba condemned the continued criminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria, describing it as “a moral failure that punishes the victim instead of addressing the cause.” He urged policymakers to fast-track the bill currently before the National Assembly that seeks to decriminalise suicide.

“At Vanguard, we believe journalism is not just about reporting events but about driving social change,” he added. “Mental health is not a luxury—it is a necessity. When we invest in mental health, we invest in the strength of our people and the future of our nation.”

Experts link suicide to genetics, environment, and policy neglect

In how submission, Prof. Taiwo Sheikh, a leading psychiatrist and former President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), explained that suicide is not merely a social problem but a biological and environmental one.

“Everything—including our propensity to take our own lives—has a biological basis,” he said. “It’s about how our brains are wired and the kind of neurotransmitters we produce at a particular point in time. But while genetics determine vulnerability, it’s the environment that decides who breaks.”

Sheikh said the country’s rising suicide rate among young people reflects the combined effects of economic hardship, trauma, and systemic neglect. “Our youths are under constant pressure—joblessness, insecurity, substance abuse, and hopelessness. These are potent triggers,” he said.

He warned against over-reliance on physical prevention measures such as bridge barriers or bans on pesticides, stressing that they do not address the root of the problem. “You can remove access to the bridge or restrict pesticides, but if you don’t stop the emotional thought, people will find other means,” Sheikh said. “We must deal with the pain that drives the act, not just the tools used.”

Suicide prevention is everybody’s responsibility”

Continuing, Sheikh stated  that suicide prevention must be community-driven. “It’s not about being a psychiatrist,” he said. “If you ask someone, ‘How are you today?’ and really mean it, that’s psychological first aid. You may not always be able to help directly, but you can always be helpful.”

He emphasised that identifying and addressing emotional distress early is the key to reducing suicide deaths. “Every human being has a vulnerability to suicide, but the environment—poverty, unemployment, trauma—triggers it. When we make environments supportive, we save lives,” he said.

Mental Health Act still toothless without implementation

Prof. Bello Mojeed, who represented APN President Prof. Taiwo Obindo, lamented that the Mental Health Act remains “a toothless bulldog” because its core provisions have not been implemented.

“The law was enacted in 2022, but the first step—setting up a Department of Mental Health in the Federal Ministry of Health—has not been done,” Mojeed said. “Without that department, there’s no governance structure to coordinate mental health policy in Nigeria.”

She explained that the Act also provides for a mental health fund and rights protection for patients, but these remain on paper. “Until implementation begins, the law cannot change lives,” he said.

Mojeed added that Nigeria’s mental health sector is underfunded. “The Abuja Declaration recommends 15 percent of national budgets for health. Nigeria gives 3 to 5 percent, and less than 5 percent of that goes to mental health. It’s simply not enough.”

“Suicide prevention is a moral duty for all Nigerians”

Dr. Veronica Nyamali, psychiatrist and former Vice President of the APN, who moderated the session, described the mental health situation as “a silent emergency.” She called for urgent domestic funding and integration of mental health into primary healthcare.

“Suicide prevention is not just the responsibility of government or doctors—it’s a moral duty for all Nigerians,” Nyamali said. “Every community must build empathy networks and early support systems before despair becomes tragedy.”

Emotional support, not stigma

Dr. Arit Esangbade, consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, said support, not stigma, saves lives. “Not everyone with suicidal thoughts needs to be hospitalised,” she said. “Some people need outpatient care, counselling, and social support. The key is to listen, not label.”

Esangbade urged Nigerians to see psychiatric hospitals as safe spaces. “Anyone can walk into Yaba and speak to a professional. It’s not everyone that needs medication. Sometimes people just need to be heard,” she said.

“Media must report suicide with empathy, not sensationalism”

Veteran health journalist and Media Consultant to the Nigeria Institute  of Medical Research, NIMR,  Mr Sam Eferaro urged journalists to adopt sensitivity and accuracy when reporting suicide. “Language matters,” he said. “We should stop saying ‘committed suicide’—it implies crime. We say ‘died by suicide.’ The media must help end stigma, not spread it.”

He called for a national media training framework similar to the HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns that transformed public discourse two decades ago. “The media can’t just report suicide as tragedy—it must expose the systems failing to protect vulnerable citizens,” he said

Further, the  panelists at the summit agreed that Nigeria must move from awareness to action as  suicide prevention requires a multi-sectoral approach involving health, education, justice, and the media.

 “We may not have all the solutions, but we can be links to the solution. Suicide prevention starts with empathy, sustained dialogue, and holding government accountable for promises made,” the moderated submitted.

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