By Saminu Ibrahim
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on the Federal Government to prioritise mental health services, increase funding and expand access to affordable community-based care to protect the rights and dignity of Nigerians living with mental health conditions.
The commission also urged the government to strengthen health insurance coverage and increase the training and deployment of qualified mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, psychiatric nurses and social workers.
The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN) made the call at a press conference on Monday to commemorate the World Mental Health Day.
Ojukwu, while highlighting the growing mental health challenges in Nigeria and the need for a coordinated national response recognized mental healthcare as both a public health necessity and a human rights responsibility.
He stressed that governments at all levels have an obligation to protect the health of citizens and ensure that people receive appropriate medical attention when they fall ill.
According to Ojukwu, “this responsibility is not optional but a fundamental human rights obligation”.
He maintained that Nigeria had taken important legislative and policy steps towards protecting people with mental health conditions, including the National Mental Health Act 2021, which received presidential assent in December 2022.
He also cited the National Mental Health Policy and the National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework as key instruments designed to improve protection and support for people experiencing mental health challenges.
Highlighting the scale of the problem, the NHRC boss cited World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that one in seven people globally lives with a mental disorder or mental health challenge, while many people who need care do not receive effective treatment.
He identified poverty, violence, deprivation and inequality as factors that increase the risk of poor mental health.
He however expressed concern that Nigeria was not insulated from the challenge, particularly in communities affected by conflict, displacement, violence and humanitarian emergencies.
He said “people in conflict-affected communities, especially in the North-East, face significant psychological challenges arising from violence, abductions and other serious human rights violations”.
Ojukwu further expressed concern over limited access to mental healthcare, citing WHO data indicating that fewer than three per cent of Nigerians with mental health conditions are covered by health insurance.
He explained that this leaves many affected individuals and their families to bear the cost of treatment largely on their own.
Commenting on the relationship between mental health and human rights, the Executive Secretary said “people living with mental health conditions often face stigma, discrimination, neglect, violence and exclusion from education, employment, housing and community life”.
He emphasised that mental health conditions do not diminish a person’s worth, dignity or human rights, insisting that affected individuals must be treated with respect and recognised as people with rights rather than defined by their conditions.
He also called for mental health services that are affordable, accessible and available at the community level, including through primary healthcare centres.
He disclosed that, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other stakeholders, NHRC was working to mainstream human rights into Nigeria’s National Mental Health Strategic Plan 2027–2032.
Meanwhile, he described the proposed five-year plan, being developed under the Federal Ministry of Health, as the country’s first comprehensive national strategic plan on mental health.
In a goodwill message, Ameh Zion Abba, Founder the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative (MHEI), urged NHRC to strengthen efforts towards the full implementation of Nigeria’s National Mental Health Act and ensure that people living with mental health conditions have access to adequate care without discrimination.
He stressed that mental health care was not merely a health issue but a fundamental human rights obligation.
He cited World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that approximately 1.2 billion people globally were living with mental health conditions in 2023, noting that many affected individuals lacked access to effective treatment.
According him more than 90 per cent of Nigerians living with mental health conditions or drug use disorders lack access to appropriate care, a situation described as a significant public health and human rights concern.
He concluded with a call for a Nigeria where mental health care is accessible, individual rights are protected, lived experiences are respected and no one is left behind.
On his part, a mental health and addiction recovery expert, Dr. James Komolafe has called for a shift from awareness campaigns to practical interventions to address the root causes of human violence and behavioural disorders in Nigeria.
The expert, said understanding the psychological and behavioural dimensions of violence was critical to preventing human rights violations and promoting a healthier society.
He stressed that violence should not be limited to physical aggression, arguing that harmful thoughts, feelings, attitudes and behavioural patterns could also indicate underlying mental health challenges.
According to him, many Nigerians may be physically healthy but exhibit unhealthy behavioural patterns that require psychological assessment and intervention.
He therefore urged stakeholders to take advantage of existing opportunities, facilities and institutional frameworks to move mental health advocacy beyond education, motivation and awareness to concrete action.
Dr. Komolafe disclosed plans to collaborate with the National Human Rights Commission and its Human Rights Institute to establish a framework for identifying, assessing and addressing behavioural issues associated with violence and human rights violations.
