The first attempt on mental health legislation stems from the Lunacy Ordinance enacted in 1916, about four and a half decades before Nigeria’s independence from British rule and assumed the status of a law in 1958. Seeing that the Lunacy Act was not tenable in meeting up with human rights and ethical standards, a Mental Health Policy document was formulated in 1991, thus becoming the first policy that addressed mental health issues in Nigeria. After the silence on the formulation of this policy, an aborted attempt to review the Lunacy Ordinance for the provision of a Mental Health Bill (2003) was carried out in the fourth republic. However, this Bill encountered setbacks between the first and the second reading stage until the expiration of the 4th Senate Assembly.

Two years after the proposed law was drafted, the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2005 carried out an assessment of the mental health system in Nigeria using the World Health Organization - Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems (WHO-AIMS). Findings of the assessments revealed that there is a significant neglect of mental health issues in Nigeria with no information on the implementation of the existing policies with regards to promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. Among many, findings revealed that non-existence readily available mental health facilities, no law to regulate admissions policies and protect patient’s right, no coordinating body to supervise public education and awareness campaign on mental health and mental disorders, and no existing formal structures for interaction between mental health providers and primary healthcare staff.

Another attempt on the provision of a Mental Health policy was made in 2013, and in 2018 during the 8th national assembly, but did not see the light of the day after second reading.

During the public hearing of February 17, 2020, all stakeholders have uniformly agreed to come together by a Committee to address all the attendant challenges of mental ill-health in Nigeria to develop an all-inclusive mental health bill that will pass the test of service delivery, funding, protection of human rights, ethical consideration and accessibility.

The Objectives of this Act are to–

(a) Provide direction for a coherent, rational and unified response to the challenges relating to the delivery of mental health care and substance abuse service in Nigeria

(b) Protect the rights and freedoms of persons with mental ill health and substance use related disorders;

(c) Ensure a better quality of life through access to an integrated, well-planned, effectively organized and efficiently delivered substance abuse services in Nigeria

(d) Provide a legal framework for the regulation of mental health and substance abuse related service delivery in Nigeria

(e) Protect persons with mental and substance abuse disorders from discrimination, victimization and unfair treatment by employers, academic institutions and other agencies.

Join us to lend your vote, voice and support for the passing of this vital legislation! Its delay shows lack of care for persons with psychological and mental needs in Nigeria.