The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved an amendment to Nigeria’s National Mental Health Act aimed at removing criminal penalties for attempted suicide.
According to The Punch, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, announced the development while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting at the State House in Abuja.
Pate said the reform was designed to help reduce suicide attempts and deaths in Nigeria by 15 per cent by 2030.
According to him, suicide remains a significant public health challenge, with World Health Organisation figures indicating that more than 7,000 people die by suicide annually in Nigeria, while about 300,000 attempts are recorded each year.
He added that the impact extends beyond those directly involved, affecting families, friends and communities, with more than 450,000 Nigerians estimated to require psychosocial support annually. Globally, he noted, suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people.
Pate explained that attempted suicide is currently criminalised under colonial-era provisions, including Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act and Section 231 of the Penal Code.
He said the existing laws could result in people experiencing psychological distress being treated as offenders instead of receiving the medical and psychological support they need.
“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.”
The minister said the provisions also conflict with the National Mental Health Act 2021, which provides for care, protection and treatment for people at risk of self-harm.
He explained that the amendment followed the establishment of a task force after a resolution of the House of Representatives, with the Ministries of Health and Social Welfare and Justice working together on the proposed changes.
“Council looked at this issue, and a task force had been set up following a resolution of the House of Representatives, which is supportive of this.
“Together with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, we worked towards an amendment of the Mental Health Act, and that has now been passed by the Federal Executive Council and will be transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment,” Pate said.
He said mental health advocates were also involved in consultations that preceded the decision, adding that the reform represented a shift towards treating suicide attempts as a health issue rather than a criminal matter.
“After extensive deliberation, including by mental health advocates, there was consensus to actually make this amendment, and with the Attorney-General’s Office, the Ministry of Justice, ourselves, and the task force that was set up, in fact, 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,” Pate said.
Pate expressed optimism that removing the criminal penalties would encourage more people at risk of self-harm to seek help and ultimately lower suicide attempts and deaths.
“Hopefully, that will reduce episodes of suicides that are successful or even attempted. Our goal is to reduce by 15 per cent by 2030,” Pate said.
The amendment will now be transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration and enactment.
