As the world marked World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, Nigeria has reason to acknowledge an important development in its long-running effort to decriminalise attempted suicide. The move represents a significant step in the country's mental health reform journey and an opportunity to align its laws more closely with contemporary public health, mental health and human rights principles. For decades, Nigerian law has treated attempted suicide primarily as a criminal matter rather than as a manifestation of a possible mental health crisis, with Section 327 of the Criminal Code and Section 231 of the Penal Code providing for criminal sanctions against attempted suicide. Experts argue that such provisions are not only outdated but potentially counterproductive to suicide prevention. The National Mental Health Act, 2021, was signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2023, effectively repealing the colonial-era Lunacy Act of 1958.
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