The Federal Executive Council approved an amendment to the National Mental Health Act to decriminalise attempted suicide.
Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, explained that the reform aims to lower suicide attempts and related fatalities by 15% by 2030.
Briefing journalists after the council meeting at the State House in Abuja, Pate noted that suicide remains a major public health issue globally and locally. He highlighted World Health Organization figures showing that suicide causes over 7,000 deaths in Nigeria annually, alongside an estimated 300,000 suicide attempts each year.
According to him, “The impact extends beyond the individuals involved; it affects families, friends and communities, with over 450,000 Nigerians requiring psychosocial support annually. Globally, suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people.”
Speaking further, he clarified that despite this burden, attempted suicide remains criminalised under colonial-era statutes, such as Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 231 of the Penal Code, which treat individuals in psychological distress as criminals rather than persons requiring support and treatment.
He noted that this legal framework creates a policy and legislative contradiction within Nigeria’s mental health and judicial systems by discouraging individuals from seeking help, directly conflicting with the National Mental Health Act 2021, which prioritises care, protection, and therapeutic support for those at risk of self-harm.
Attempted suicide not a crime
Pate explained the reasons behind the amendment, adding it would mark a major shift in how the government responds to people who attempt suicide because of mental health challenges.
According to him, “Attempting suicide is not a crime. If someone, because of mental health illness, attempts to harm themselves within the context of those colonial-era laws, you can arrest them and prosecute them for breaking the law.
“But these are people that are actually ill. It’s like getting somebody who has tuberculosis and asking, ‘Why did you have tuberculosis?’ So it’s changing the paradigm to one whereby they require care and support.”
He said that the measure was the result of lengthy discussion among mental health activists.
He expressed optimism that fewer suicides will be attempted and completed as a result of decriminalisation.
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