The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved an amendment to the National Mental Health Act to decriminalise attempted suicide, with the government saying existing colonial-era laws wrongly treat people experiencing psychological distress as offenders rather than individuals in need of care and support.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the amendment of the National Mental Health Act to allow for the decriminalisation of attempted suicide in Nigeria.
The Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammed Pate, speaking after the meeting, said suicide is a major public health concern in Nigeria, with the World Health Organisation estimating more than 7,000 deaths annually, with an estimated 300,000 suicide attempts across the country each year.
He said that despite the significant burden, attempted suicide remains criminalised under the colonial-era laws, with the Criminal Code Act Section 327 and the Penal Code Section 231, treating individuals experiencing psychological distress as offenders rather than persons in need of care and support.
This legal position, he noted, discourages help-seeking behaviours and also conflicts with the National Mental Health Act 2021, which provides for supportive care, protection, and treatment for individuals at risk of self-harm.
The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare worked towards an amendment of the Mental Health Act, and the Act has been passed by the FEC.
It is expected to be transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment.
