By Sola Ogundipe
Suicide is on the front burner as an array of enlightened speakers and panelists gather to deliberate on critical issues around mental health, in continuation of the public enlightenment and education on mental health in Nigeria, as Vanguard hosts the third edition of its Mental Health Summit Series.
This year’s Summit will confront Nigeria’s escalating suicide crisis and the often-overlooked intersection with substance abuse. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among Nigerian youth aged 15 to 29 even as 450,000 Nigerians need mental health and psychosocial support every year due to suicide-related trauma.
The Summit, themed “Taming the tide of suicide in Nigeria”, with sub-theme: “Substance and Silence: Unmasking the Dual Crisis of Addiction and Suicide” is designed to rekindle the awareness on mental health, tackle the challenges surrounding the management of the various mental disorders, and mitigate their effects on the community.
As the forum opens at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, it is expected, once again, to bring together policymakers, mental health professionals, survivors, media leaders, and youth advocates to drive urgent conversations around decriminalisation, stigma reduction, and community-based care.
As the conversation continues, expectation for a humane legal system for suicide prevention is top on the expected outcomes. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Bank data, an estimated 11,000 Nigerians died by suicide in 2021, while over 200,000 others attempted it and survived.
With Nigeria’s 2021 population placed at about 218.5 million, the WHO’s reported suicide rate of 4.9 to 5 deaths per 100,000 people translates to roughly 10,900 to 11,000 deaths that year.
For every suicide death, experts estimate there are at least 20 non-fatal attempts, suggesting that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians may be struggling silently with suicidal thoughts and behaviour.
While the figures place Nigeria below the global average suicide rate of 8.9 per 100,000, mental health specialists warn that under-reporting, stigma, and poor data systems mean the true burden may be higher, even as many deaths go unrecorded or are misclassified as accidents due to cultural and religious sensitivities, or fear of arrest under Nigeria’s Criminal Code, which criminalises attempted suicide.
Experts say the outdated law discourages people in distress from seeking help and fuels the culture of silence around mental illness. They are calling for urgent reform to treat suicide as a public health concern rather than a criminal offence, in line with WHO recommendations and global mental health standards.
The Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) representing Cross River South Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, who is the Special Guest of Honour at the Summit, will give remarks about the Suicide Decriminalisation Bill currently before the National Assembly.
The Bill which has passed the second reading on the floor of the National Assembly, is a landmark legislative effort aimed at shifting the country’s approach to suicide from punishment to prevention and care.
It is seeking to repeal colonial-era laws that criminalise attempted suicide under Sections 327 and 231 of Nigeria’s Criminal and Penal Codes, which currently impose up to one year jail term for survivors of suicide attempts. Rather, the bill proposes a health-centered, rights-based framework that treats suicide as a public health issue, not a crime.
The Summit is set to deepen the national conversation on mental health demand urgent attention around the country’s outdated criminal law on attempted suicide as mental-health experts, legal scholars and advocacy groups unite in verdict that the law in suicide no longer belongs in a modern, compassionate society. The argument is that by threatening punishment, the existing law drives vulnerable people and their families underground.
According to the WHO, nations which view suicide through a public-health lens, not a criminal one, record better access to care and lower suicide rates. Punitive laws, on the other hand, reinforce shame around mental illness, pushing survivors into deeper isolation.
The argument is that decriminalisation saves lives and improves data. When suicide is no longer a crime, people are more willing to seek help, families speak more openly, and hospitals can record accurate statistics. Reliable data, in turn, allows authorities to design targeted prevention programmes.
Among the participants lined up for the event which is endorsed by the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Mental Health Association, are renowned psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, administrators, and experts in allied fields
The Summit chaired by Dr. Kingsley Akinroye, Executive Director of the Nigeria Heart Foundation, a leading figure in cardiovascular and public health advocacy, spotlights some of Nigeria’s most influential voices in mental health, policy, and public service.
Delivering the keynote address is Professor Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, Continental Representative for LifeLine International and immediate past President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN).
A Professor of Psychiatry at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Sheikh co-authored Nigeria’s Mental Health Policies (2013 & 2023), the National Suicide Prevention Framework (2023), and the National Mental Health Act (2021).
Also speaking is NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd), who will address the sub-theme: “Substance and Silence: Unmasking the Dual Crisis of Addiction and Suicide.” Marwa, widely praised for transforming Nigeria’s drug enforcement landscape, has strengthened rehabilitation programmes and advanced policies linking addiction treatment with mental health care.
Other high-profile speakers include NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who will present on “Building Trust: How Strong Regulation Improves Access to Mental Health Treatment,” and Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Mobolaji Ogunlende, who will speak on youth engagement and community upliftment.
Leading the panel session is Dr. Veronica Nyamali, Consultant Psychiatrist at Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, and coordinator of Lagos’ psychosocial COVID-19 response. Ms. Titi Tade, Director of Medical Social Services at LUTH and Coordinator of SURPIN, will deliver a presentation titled “How Are You?” – a call for empathy in care.
Also billed to speak are Prof. Taiwo Obindo, President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria; Ms. Deborah Omage of the Nigeria Mental Health Association; Dr. Nkiruka Agatha David of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR); and Dr. Olugbenga Owoeye, Medical Director, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, who will share lessons from decades of suicide management.
Veteran health journalist Mr. Sam Eferaro, Vanguard’s pioneer Health Editor and Media Consultant to NIMR, will join as panelist to discuss the media’s role in shaping national conversations on mental health.
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