Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved an amendment to the National Mental Health Act 2021 aimed at decriminalising attempted suicide in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting in Abuja.
Pate said the proposed amendment would remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide, allowing people who survive suicide attempts to receive medical and psychological support rather than face arrest and prosecution.
He explained that Nigeria’s existing criminal laws contain provisions that criminalise attempted suicide, a framework he said was inconsistent with the principles of the National Mental Health Act 2021.
According to the minister, the proposed reform followed consultations involving mental health advocates, the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General’s Office, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, a task force and members of the National Assembly.
He said the FEC had approved the amendment and would transmit it to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.
Pate said the government’s approach was to treat attempted suicide primarily as a mental health concern requiring care and support rather than punishment.
He added that the government was targeting a 15 percent reduction in suicide attempts and completed suicides by 2030.
The minister said decriminalising attempted suicide could encourage people experiencing psychological distress to seek help without fear of arrest or prosecution.
The proposed amendment is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s suicide prevention efforts and align the legal framework with the country’s mental health policy.
