The Federal Government has begun the process of decriminalising attempted suicide in Nigeria, following the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s position on the matter.
The proposed reform will now be forwarded to the National Assembly for the legislative process required to change the existing legal framework.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day.
Salako, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said the proposed decriminalisation was both a public health and legal reform aimed at ensuring that people experiencing mental health crises receive care rather than punishment.
“A person experiencing a mental health crisis should be met with care, support and appropriate intervention, rather than punishment,” Salako said.
He added that removing the threat of criminal sanctions could reduce stigma surrounding suicide attempts and encourage people in crisis to seek help and receive timely intervention.
National Assembly Action Required
The minister stressed that decriminalising attempted suicide would not, by itself, be sufficient to prevent suicide in Nigeria.
He said the government would continue working to strengthen mental health services, expand community-based support and improve early identification and intervention for people at risk.
The ministry’s position is being guided by existing policy frameworks, including the National Mental Health Act 2021, National Mental Health Policy 2023 and National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2023–2030.
The government has also established the National Task Force on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide, which has consulted policymakers and other stakeholders as part of efforts to advance the proposed reform.
Government Seeks Better Suicide Data
National Coordinator of the Mental Health Programme, Dr Tunde Ojo, acknowledged that Nigeria still faces gaps in reliable national data on suicide and attempted suicide.
He said the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare was using surveys and other data-gathering methods to produce more accurate and verifiable national statistics within the next year.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator of National Action for Suicide Prevention, Dr Ade Bash, said efforts would continue to integrate mental health services into primary healthcare and strengthen community-based interventions.
Stakeholders at the World Suicide Prevention Day event welcomed the Federal Government’s decision and pledged support for the legislative process and broader efforts to improve suicide prevention and mental healthcare in Nigeria.
The proposed reform, however, is not yet a change in the law. Attempted suicide will remain subject to the existing legal framework until the National Assembly completes the legislative process and any resulting changes take effect.
