The Federal Government has approved a proposed amendment to the National Mental Health Act aimed at removing the criminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, announced the decision on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
Pate said the reform was intended to replace the punitive treatment of people who attempt suicide with a public health approach focused on medical care, psychological support and protection.
Under the existing legal framework, he noted, people who survive suicide attempts can face arrest and prosecution despite being in need of professional intervention.
“Within the context of those colonial-era laws, you can arrest them and, in fact, prosecute them for breaking the law,” Pate said, describing the approach as inconsistent with the treatment required for people experiencing severe psychological distress.
He said the government hoped the proposed reform would contribute to reducing both suicide attempts and completed suicides, with a target of cutting suicide cases by 15 per cent by 2030.
According to the minister, the amendment followed consultations involving mental health advocates, the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General’s Office, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and a special task force established to examine the issue.
He said stakeholders had reached a consensus that attempted suicide should no longer be treated primarily as a criminal matter.
“With the Attorney-General’s Office, Ministry of Justice, ourselves and the task force that was set up, and with the support of the National Assembly, we think this bill will make a major difference from a public health perspective,” he said.
The proposed amendment will now be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration and legislative action.
Pate explained that the reform would also resolve a conflict between criminal laws and the provisions of the National Mental Health Act 2021, which provides for care, protection and treatment for people at risk of self-harm.
He cited World Health Organisation estimates indicating that more than 7,000 people die by suicide annually in Nigeria, while about 300,000 suicide attempts are recorded each year.
He added that more than 450,000 Nigerians require psychosocial support annually, reinforcing the need for interventions centred on healthcare rather than punishment.
Health Infrastructure Projects
The minister also defended the procurement process for major projects recently approved for the National Hospital, Abuja, and the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT).
Pate said funding for the projects had been appropriated by the National Assembly and that implementation was being handled directly by the respective institutions rather than the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
He said the National Hospital and NICRAT followed established procurement procedures, including competitive processes and the required clearances from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
According to him, the contractors selected for the projects were assessed based on their capacity to deliver specialised hospital and health infrastructure within the approved timelines.
Pate said the procurement processes remained subject to scrutiny and that the BPP had raised no objections when the contracts were considered by FEC.
He described the projects as a significant departure from what he called years of inadequate investment in Nigeria’s health infrastructure.
The minister said the government was now seeking to address widespread deficiencies in hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, including deteriorating buildings and inadequate medical equipment.
He compared the scale of health infrastructure spending with government investment in roads, noting that although road projects were essential to economic development, healthcare infrastructure also required substantial capital investment.
Pate attributed part of the historical shortfall in health spending to limited government revenue at both federal and state levels.
He said improved government revenue was creating an opportunity to increase investment in the health sector and reverse years of underfunding.
The minister said the Federal Government’s priority was now to ensure that approved funds were properly deployed to upgrade the National Hospital and establish a modern cancer research and treatment centre at NICRAT.
He expressed confidence that the projects, when completed, would significantly improve the quality of specialised healthcare infrastructure available to Nigerians.
