As Nigeria joins other countries to mark the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), stakeholders are urged to join the conversation on addressing suicide as a major public health challenge. In August, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a proposal to amend the National Mental Health Act to remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide, shifting Nigeria's legal framework from punishment to care and psychological support. Currently, Section 327 of the Criminal Code Act (Southern Nigeria) and Section 231 of the Penal Code (Northern Nigeria) criminalise suicide attempts. Beyond the executive bill being prepared for the National Assembly to amend those colonial laws, Nigeria must do more, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which states that changing the narrative on suicide is about transformation.
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