Kano Stakeholders Push for Local Adoption of Mental Health Act

Stakeholders in the mental health sector have called on the Kano State Government to domesticate the National Mental Health Act to improve access to mental healthcare and protect the rights of persons with mental health conditions. This demand was made in a communiqué issued after an engagement organized by the Positive Pathways Initiative (PPI) to commemorate the 2026 World Mental Health Day.

The stakeholders urged the government to increase funding, integrate mental health services into primary healthcare centres, and recruit more professionals to address personnel shortages. They recommended developing a comprehensive framework for mental health support during emergencies and strengthening the state’s social protection system for specialized psychiatric care.

Roquaya Tofa, the Executive Director of PPI, stated that the organization had been advocating for the domestication of mental health legislation in Kano, having drafted the Kano State Mental Health Bill in 2022. Tofa mentioned that PPI has engaged with former and current Speakers of the Kano State House of Assembly and the state governor to discuss the proposed domestication of the law.