Nigeria's Urgent Need for Suicide Prevention Measures

On the occasion of the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day, Nigeria is urged to address the rising suicide rates as a significant public health issue. Last month, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a proposal to amend the National Mental Health Act, aiming to eliminate criminal penalties for attempted suicide.

Currently, suicide attempts are criminalized under Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act in Southern Nigeria and Section 231 of the Penal Code in Northern Nigeria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) states that one in four Nigerians suffers from mental illnesses, highlighting the urgency of transforming societal perceptions of suicide from stigma to support.

The country faces a shortage of mental health facilities, with only nine federal neuropsychiatric hospitals available. Contributing factors to the increase in suicides include emotional and financial stress, pervasive poverty, and drug abuse.

Medical practitioners from the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria have expressed concerns regarding the growing prevalence of depression among Nigerians.