Nigeria has taken a major step towards ending the criminalisation of attempted suicide after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the position of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare on the matter.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day, themed, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.”
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, the minister said the proposal would now proceed to the National Assembly for the necessary legislative process.
Salako expressed optimism that the process would be concluded without delay, describing the proposed reform as both a legal and public health imperative.
“A person experiencing a mental health crisis should be met with care, support and appropriate intervention, rather than punishment,” he said.
The minister said removing the fear of criminal sanctions could “help reduce stigma, encourage help-seeking and create greater opportunities for timely intervention.”
He stressed that legislation alone would not prevent suicide, noting that the government would continue to strengthen mental health services, promote early identification and intervention, expand community-based support and foster open conversations around mental health.
According to Salako, the reform is consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the administration’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s health system and improving access to quality healthcare.
He also highlighted the National Mental Health Act, 2021, National Mental Health Policy, 2023, and National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2023–2030 as key instruments guiding Nigeria’s response to mental health and suicide prevention.
Salako said the National Task Force on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide had undertaken “extensive stakeholder consultations, policy dialogue, advocacy and sensitisation” to support the reform process.
He added that the task force had engaged policymakers across the three arms of government as part of efforts to build support for the proposed legislative change.
The National Coordinator, Mental Health Programme, Dr Tunde Ojo, acknowledged concerns over the availability of reliable national data on mental health, suicide and attempted suicide.
Ojo said the ministry was using surveys and other data-generation tools to produce “accurate and verifiable national statistics” within the next year.
The National Coordinator, Dr Ade Bash, also reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to “strengthening mental health services, integrating mental health into primary healthcare, expanding community-based interventions and deepening partnerships for suicide prevention.”
Partners and stakeholders at the commemoration welcomed the Federal Government’s decision and reaffirmed their support for strengthening mental health services, advancing suicide prevention and supporting the legislative process towards decriminalisation.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said it remained committed to ensuring that Nigerians experiencing mental health challenges can access care “without fear, stigma or discrimination.”