Foundation hails FG suicide decriminalisation move

The Asido Foundation has welcomed the Federal Executive Council’s approval of a proposed amendment to Nigeria’s National Mental Health Act that would decriminalise attempted suicide.

The foundation described the decision as a move away from punishment and toward care. Its Board of Trustees Chairman, Niyi Olowola, said the change validated years of advocacy for a more humane response to people experiencing suicidal distress or mental health crises.

“For us at Asido Foundation, this is more than a policy announcement. It is the culmination of years of advocacy around a simple but fundamental principle: a person who survives a suicide attempt needs care, treatment and dignity, not prosecution,” Olowola said.

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A person who survives a suicide attempt needs care, treatment and dignity, not prosecution.

The foundation said it had led a delegation to Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi in 2024 to advocate decriminalisation. Olowola rejected any suggestion that Asido Foundation alone had secured the reform, crediting mental health professionals, civil society groups, legislators, policymakers and other advocates.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jibril Abdulmalik said the reform could make it easier for people in suicidal distress to seek help. “Decriminalisation removes a significant barrier to help-seeking, but it must now be accompanied by accessible services, trained professionals, crisis-response systems, public education and sustained investment in mental health care,” he said. The foundation marked its seventh anniversary after being established in 2019 to promote mental health awareness, reduce stigma and strengthen suicide prevention in Nigeria.

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Decriminalisation removes a significant barrier to help-seeking, but it must now be accompanied by accessible services, trained professionals, crisis-response systems, public education and sustained investment in mental health care.