Nigeria records about 16,000 suicide deaths every year, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, prompting fresh calls for urgent legislative action to tackle the country’s growing mental health crisis.
Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC – Cross River South) raised the alarm in Abuja on Sunday while receiving members of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group — a coalition of psychiatrists, psychologists, legal experts, and civil society organisations.
Ekpenyong, sponsor of the Suicide Prevention Bill, said the proposed legislation seeks to decriminalise attempted suicide and provide a framework for prevention, helplines, service delivery, and training for mental health professionals. The bill scaled its first reading in the Senate in February.
“Depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions affect millions of Nigerians, yet they are poorly understood and rarely prioritised. Suicide prevention requires government attention, sustained education, and sensitisation,” the senator said.
He assured stakeholders of his commitment to push the bill through second reading and canvass support from fellow lawmakers for a robust debate backed by data and evidence.
Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, Convener of the coalition and Continental Representative of LifeLine International, stressed that criminalising attempted suicide discourages help-seeking among vulnerable groups.
“According to WHO, Nigeria records about 16,000 suicide deaths annually, and this is a conservative figure because many cases go unreported. Most victims are young people aged between 15 and 29. This is a national crisis,” Sheikh said.
Other members of the coalition, including mental health advocates and civil society actors, urged the National Assembly to accelerate passage of the bill, warning that every delay would cost more lives.
“For every recorded suicide, there are at least 20 more attempts. In Nigeria, every delay in passing this bill means more lives lost,” said Ms Aisha Abdullahi Bubah, Executive Director of The Sunshine Series.
The group also announced plans to mark World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 with public sensitisation campaigns, media engagements, and policy dialogues.
Sen. Ekpenyong is also billed to participate in the Vanguard Mental Health Summit in October, themed “Stemming the Rising Tide of Suicide in Nigeria.”
