The Federal Government has approved moves to decriminalise attempted suicide in Nigeria, with a target of reducing suicide cases by 15 per cent by 2030.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this while briefing journalists after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting, saying the council approved an amendment to the National Mental Health Act to remove the criminalisation of attempted suicide.
Pate said the proposed reform was aimed at replacing the punishment-based approach inherited from colonial-era laws with a mental health response centred on care, treatment and support for people experiencing severe psychological distress.
He said under the existing legal framework, people who attempted suicide could be arrested and prosecuted despite requiring medical and psychological intervention.
Pate said the government’s 2030 target was to achieve a 15 per cent reduction in suicide cases through a more effective public health response to mental health challenges.
He cited World Health Organisation estimates indicating that suicide accounts for more than 7,000 deaths annually in Nigeria, while about 300,000 suicide attempts are recorded each year.
According to him, more than 450,000 Nigerians require psychosocial support annually, highlighting the scale of the country’s mental health burden and the need to prioritise treatment and support over criminal sanctions.
“Within the context of those colonial-era laws, you can arrest them and, in fact, prosecute them for breaking the law. While these are people who are actually ill, it is like getting somebody who has tuberculosis and saying, ‘Why did you have tuberculosis?’” he said.
The minister said the amendment would change the approach to attempted suicide by ensuring that affected persons receive the necessary care and support.
“So, it is changing the paradigm to one whereby they require care and support if there is an attempted suicide. Hopefully, that will reduce episodes of suicides that are successful or even attempted.”
Pate said the proposed amendment followed extensive consultations involving mental health advocates, the Attorney-General’s Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and a task force established to address the issue.
“After extensive deliberation, including by mental health advocates, there was consensus to actually make this amendment,” he said.
He added that the reform had received support from relevant stakeholders and would be transmitted to the National Assembly for legislative consideration following the FEC approval.
“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 and help us deal with the burden of mental ill health that afflicts many Nigerians.”
The minister explained that the proposed amendment was also intended to address the inconsistency between the criminal justice framework and the National Mental Health Act 2021, which provides for supportive care, protection and treatment for people at risk of self-harm.
