Nigeria records an estimated 16,000 suicide deaths annually, yet attempted suicide remains a criminal offence under existing laws.
To address this, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (APC–Cross River South) has reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the Suicide Prevention Bill, which seeks to decriminalize attempted suicide and establish a national framework for prevention, mental health support, and crisis response services.
The bill, which scaled its first reading in February, aims to remove punitive provisions against attempted suicide while introducing measures such as helplines, service delivery frameworks, funding, training, and data systems to strengthen nationwide prevention and response mechanisms.
Ekpenyong, who sponsored the bill, made the pledge in Abuja on Sunday while receiving members of the Suicide Prevention Advocacy Working Group, a coalition of psychiatrists, lawyers, civil society organizations, and mental health advocates. He assured the coalition of his commitment to push the bill during its second reading, while canvassing the support of his colleagues for a robust debate backed by data and evidence.
“Depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions affect millions of Nigerians, yet they are poorly understood and rarely prioritized. Suicide prevention requires government attention, sustained education, and sensitization,” Ekpenyong said.
According to the World Health Organization, every year, 727,000 people take their own lives, and many more people make suicide attempts. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds globally.
Prof. Sheikh, convener of the coalition, Continental Representative for LifeLine International, and former President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, said the law criminalizing attempted suicide has become a major barrier to help-seeking in the country. He noted that most of the victims are young people, between the ages of 15 and 29, adding that the crisis must be urgently addressed.
“When you criminalize attempted suicide, you stigmatize people who are already vulnerable. Nigeria records about 16,000 suicide deaths annually, and that is a conservative figure because many cases go unreported,” Sheikh stated.
He explained that the proposed bill will not only seek to expunge punitive laws against attempted suicide but also provide for service delivery, funding, training, helplines, and data systems to strengthen prevention and response mechanisms nationwide.
Senator Ekpenyong commended the coalition for its advocacy and acknowledged the underreported nature of mental health issues in Nigeria. He restated his resolve to champion the bill when it comes up for second reading and to work with his colleagues to ensure robust debate backed by strong data and evidence.
Other coalition members, including psychiatrists, psychologists, lawyers, and mental health advocates, emphasized the urgent need for legislative backing to implement suicide prevention policies. They cited Nigeria’s high youth suicide rate and the growing economic and social costs of untreated mental health challenges.
Aisha Bubah, Executive Director of the Sunshine Series, stressed that for every recorded suicide there are at least 20 more attempts, underscoring that every delay in passing the bill means more lives lost.
