Mental health experts across Nigeria have expressed strong support for the Federal Government’s legislative proposal to decriminalize attempted suicide, while cautioning that legal reforms alone cannot eliminate suicidal behavior without addressing underlying socio-economic drivers.

The Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN) welcomed the Federal Executive Council’s approval to amend the National Mental Health Act, describing the shift away from criminalization as a long-overdue milestone.

Experts noted that treating self-harm attempts as criminal offenses fostered severe social stigma, discouraged individuals from seeking psychological intervention, and subjected victims to punitive law enforcement measures rather than essential medical and therapeutic care.

However, medical practitioners stressed that legislative changes constitute only the initial step in resolving Nigeria’s escalating mental health crisis. They highlighted that widespread economic hardship, soaring inflation, severe poverty, unemployment, and persistent insecurity remain major triggers fueling depression, acute distress, and suicidal ideation across the country. According to the psychiatrists, legal decriminalization must be paired with tangible government policies that alleviate socio-economic pressures on citizens.

Furthermore, the experts called for the full implementation of the Mental Health Act, alongside targeted investments to expand access to affordable psychiatric care. They pointed out that Nigeria faces severe shortages of mental health specialists, inadequate health insurance coverage for psychiatric treatments, and a growing influx of substance abuse issues.

To build an effective support system, the association urged the government to integrate mental healthcare into primary healthcare centers, establish accessible crisis intervention helplines, and launch public education campaigns to dismantle societal stigma surrounding mental illness.