LAGOS — The Nigerian Mental Health and Nigeria Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group have commended the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approving an amendment to the National Mental Health Act 2021 to decriminalise attempted suicide, describing the move as a major step toward treating self-harm as a public health issue rather than a criminal offence.
The civil society groups, in a statement issued on Saturday, also urged the National Assembly to expedite action on the proposed amendment and the National Suicide Prevention Bill 2024, warning that further delays could cost lives.
They commended the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, and the Federal Government for initiating the reform, saying survivors of suicide attempts should receive medical and psychological support rather than face prosecution.
The groups cited World Health Organisation figures indicating that no fewer than 15,000 Nigerians die by suicide annually, while an estimated 300,000 suicide attempts occur each year.
Founder of Nigerian Mental Health, Chime Asonye, said the decision by the FEC represented an important shift in the country’s approach to suicide prevention.
«“A person who survives a suicide attempt needs a clinician, not a charge sheet. The Council has now said so, and that matters,” Asonye said.»
However, he warned that decriminalisation alone would not be sufficient to address Nigeria’s suicide crisis, noting that the Department of Mental Health Services provided for under the National Mental Health Act 2021 had yet to be established.
According to him, the Federal Government’s target of reducing suicide deaths and attempts by 15 per cent by 2030 would require stronger institutional structures and sustained investment.
«“The Minister’s target of reducing suicide deaths and attempts by 15 per cent by 2030 will not be met by repealing a law alone,” he said.»
The groups also called on lawmakers to prioritise the National Suicide Prevention Bill 2024, saying the proposed legislation should establish a comprehensive framework for suicide prevention, including data collection, crisis intervention, funding and specialised training for healthcare workers and first responders.
Convener of the Nigeria Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, Prof. Taiwo Sheikh, described the proposed amendment and the Suicide Prevention Bill as complementary reforms that must be passed together.
Sheikh urged the National Assembly to ensure both measures are concluded during the current legislative session.
«“The amendment and the National Suicide Prevention Bill are two halves of one reform: one removes the punishment, the other builds what should be there instead.»
«“Passing one without the other leaves the work unfinished.»
«“The executive has moved; the question now belongs to the National Assembly: whether both pass in this session or wait for another. Every year they wait is counted in lives,” Sheikh said.»
The organisations further called on the Federal Government to establish and adequately fund the Department of Mental Health Services as mandated by the National Mental Health Act.
They also urged the Ministries of Health and Justice to make the proposed amendment available for public scrutiny, stressing that decriminalising attempted suicide must be accompanied by practical reforms within police stations, hospitals and communities.
According to the groups, a coordinated approach involving legislation, accessible mental healthcare, crisis response services and trained first responders is critical to reducing suicide deaths and ensuring that survivors receive the support they need.
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