The Federal Government has begun moves to remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide in Nigeria, following the approval of the Federal Executive Council for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to advance the reform.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this in Abuja during the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day commemoration, saying the proposal would now be forwarded to the National Assembly for the required legislative process.
Salako, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said treating attempted suicide as a criminal offence could prevent people experiencing mental health crises from seeking help.
He argued that the proposed reform was not only a legal change but also an important public health intervention.
“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 make it easier for vulnerable individuals to seek professional assistance before their conditions deteriorate.
However, the minister stressed that decriminalisation alone would not address Nigeria’s suicide problem. He said the government would continue efforts to strengthen mental health services, expand community-based interventions and improve early identification of people at risk.
The reform is being pursued within the framework of existing national mental health policies, including the National Mental Health Act 2021, National Mental Health Policy 2023 and the National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2023–2030.
Salako said the National Task Force on the Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide had also engaged policymakers and other stakeholders as part of preparations for the legislative process.
Meanwhile, the government acknowledged that reliable national data on suicide and attempted suicide remain inadequate.
The National Coordinator, Mental Health Programme, Dr Tunde Ojo, said the ministry was using surveys and other data-gathering mechanisms to improve the quality of available statistics, with the aim of producing more accurate and verifiable national figures within the next year.
Also speaking, the National Coordinator, National Action for Suicide Prevention, Dr Ade Bash, said mental health services would increasingly be integrated into primary healthcare, while community-based support would be strengthened.
Stakeholders at the event welcomed the Federal Government’s decision, pledging to support the legislative process and broader efforts to improve mental healthcare and suicide prevention.
The proposed reform marks a significant shift from a punitive approach towards one centred on treatment, support and early intervention for people experiencing mental health crises.
