The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) has backed the Federal Government’s move to decriminalise attempted suicide, describing it as a major step towards treating people in crisis with care rather than punishment.

The development followed the Federal Executive Council’s approval of an amendment to the National Mental Health Act. The proposed amendment will be sent to the National Assembly for passage.

In a statement on Friday, signed by its President, Dr Veronica Nyamali, and Secretary, Prof Kingsley Okonoda, the APN described the decision as a watershed moment for mental health reform in Nigeria.

The association said, “This is a landmark development and a watershed moment for mental health reform in Nigeria. It represents a long-awaited step in the right direction.

“It signals a growing recognition that suicide must be approached first and foremost as a public health and mental health concern, not as a criminal offence.”
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, had announced the council’s approval after its meeting at the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, August 19.

Pate said the reform was part of efforts to reduce suicide deaths and attempts in Nigeria by 15 per cent before 2030.

Citing World Health Organisation data, the minister said suicide accounted for more than 7,000 deaths in Nigeria annually, while about 300,000 attempts were recorded each year.

He added that more than 450,000 Nigerians required psychosocial support yearly because suicide also affected families, friends and communities.

Attempted suicide is currently treated as an offence under Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 231 of the Penal Code.
Pate said the colonial-era provisions treated people experiencing psychological distress as criminals rather than individuals requiring medical care and support.

He said, “Attempting suicide is not a crime. If someone, because of mental health illness, attempts to harm themselves within the context of those colonial-era laws, you can arrest them and prosecute them for breaking the law.

“But these are people that are actually ill. It’s like getting somebody who has tuberculosis and asking, ‘Why did you have tuberculosis?’ So it’s changing the paradigm to one whereby they require care and support.”

According to him, the amendment was developed by the ministries of Health and Justice, alongside a task force established following a resolution of the House of Representatives.

Reacting to the decision, the APN praised mental health professionals, civil society organisations, policymakers and advocates who had pushed for the reform over the years.

It said, “This announcement is therefore not merely a policy development; it is a powerful affirmation that Nigeria is beginning to move from a punishment and stigma-laden approach towards prevention, compassion, treatment and hope for those crying for help, as suicide rightly implies.

“While we celebrate this historic milestone, we must not view it as the final destination. Indeed, it is only the beginning of the journey.”

The association, however, said decriminalisation must be supported by the proper implementation of the Mental Health Act and wider access to quality mental health services.

It said, “The Act has remained largely on paper for far too long, despite its enormous potential to transform mental healthcare delivery across the country.

“Decriminalising suicide must be accompanied by a deliberate expansion of access to quality mental health services. Accessibility must be matched by affordability. Mental healthcare cannot become meaningful to Nigerians if essential medicines remain unavailable or unaffordable.”
The psychiatrists called for an urgent review of the Essential Medicines List for Mental Health to ensure that psychiatric medicines remained available and affordable.
They also asked the government to include essential mental health medicines under the National Health Insurance Authority to reduce out-of-pocket spending by patients and their families.

The APN noted that mental illness and suicidal behaviour could not be addressed through healthcare reforms alone.
It identified poverty, unemployment, insecurity, hunger, social isolation, inadequate housing, food insecurity, rising transportation costs and the high cost of living as conditions that could worsen mental distress.
The association said, “When citizens are overwhelmed by poverty, insecurity, unemployment, hunger, social isolation and hopelessness, the burden on mental health inevitably increases.

“Government therefore has a crucial role to play beyond the health sector. Every meaningful intervention that makes life safer, more dignified and more economically viable is, in itself, a mental health intervention and suicide prevention.”

It also called for stronger action against substance abuse, drug trafficking and the illegal distribution and misuse of psychoactive substances.

“At its core, suicide prevention is about restoring hope, dignity, connection and meaning. People are more likely to hold on to life when life offers them a reason to live,” it said.

The APN commended President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council, Pate, Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako, and other officials involved in the proposed reform.

It also urged the National Assembly, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, to give the bill speedy passage.

“Nigerians should not have to wait indefinitely for policies already legislated and assented to by the President that have the potential to save lives,” it said.

The association pledged to work with the government and other stakeholders to ensure that the reform improved the lives of Nigerians experiencing mental health crises.

It added, “Today, we celebrate a major victory. Tomorrow, the real work begins.

“The decriminalisation of suicide must be the beginning of a new national commitment to mental health, one that replaces stigma with compassion, punishment with care, silence with conversation, and despair with hope.”