The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on the Federal Government to prioritise mental healthcare in national health planning, increase funding for mental health services and strengthen the protection of persons living with mental health conditions against discrimination, violence and abuse.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, OFR, made the call on Monday in Abuja while delivering his statement to commemorate the 2026 World Mental Health Day.
Ojukwu stressed that mental health should not be treated solely as a medical concern but as a fundamental human rights issue requiring coordinated action by government institutions, healthcare providers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
He said people living with mental health conditions were entitled to dignity, respect, equality and access to appropriate care, adding that their conditions should never be used as justification for discrimination, neglect or exclusion from society.
According to him, the right to health encompasses both physical and mental wellbeing, making it imperative for the government to fulfil its obligations to protect the rights of affected persons.
Citing Article 16 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Ojukwu said every individual had the right to enjoy the best attainable state of physical and mental health, while states were obligated to take necessary measures to protect public health and ensure access to medical attention.
He noted that Nigeria had taken legislative and policy steps towards addressing mental health challenges, particularly through the National Mental Health Act, 2021, which received presidential assent in December 2022, as well as the National Mental Health Policy and National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework.
However, he maintained that the existence of laws and policies must translate into practical protection, accessible services and improved outcomes for Nigerians experiencing mental health challenges.
The NHRC boss expressed concern over the scale of mental health challenges globally, citing World Health Organisation estimates that nearly one in seven people worldwide live with a mental disorder.
He noted that many people requiring mental healthcare remained unable to access effective treatment, with poverty, violence, disability and inequality further increasing the risks associated with poor mental health.
Ojukwu said Nigeria faced similar challenges, particularly in communities affected by conflict, displacement, terrorism, abductions and other humanitarian emergencies.
He explained that people exposed to violence and serious human rights violations often suffered psychological consequences that could affect their daily functioning, relationships and ability to participate meaningfully in society.
The commission also raised concerns about the affordability of mental healthcare, noting that WHO evidence indicated that fewer than three per cent of people with mental health conditions in Nigeria were covered by health insurance.
According to Ojukwu, the limited coverage leaves many affected individuals and their families struggling to bear the financial burden of treatment and related support services.
He warned that people living with mental health conditions frequently experienced stigma, discrimination, neglect, violence and exclusion from education, employment, housing and community life.
He added that some were denied the opportunity to make decisions about their own lives or subjected to treatment that undermined their dignity and fundamental rights.
The NHRC executive secretary particularly highlighted the vulnerability of children and adults with psychosocial disabilities, stressing that families and institutions required adequate knowledge, resources and professional support to respond appropriately to their needs.
“A mental-health condition does not reduce a person’s worth, dignity or human rights,” he said, emphasising the need for a rights-based approach that recognises affected persons as individuals rather than defining them by their conditions.
Ojukwu called for the expansion of affordable, accessible and community-based mental health services, including services integrated into primary healthcare centres.
He also urged the government to strengthen health insurance coverage and increase the recruitment, training and deployment of qualified professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, psychiatric nurses and social workers.
The commission further advocated the full implementation of the National Mental Health Act and Policy, alongside effective accountability mechanisms to prevent human rights violations in mental health settings.
Highlighting the commission’s interventions, Ojukwu said the NHRC had established a Counselling Unit at its headquarters to provide emotional support to people affected by human rights violations and traumatic experiences.
He explained that the unit, staffed by qualified counsellors, also supports commission staff who may experience emotional distress from handling difficult cases involving violence, abuse, loss and suffering.
According to him, the commission recognises that protecting human rights requires attention not only to survivors and complainants but also to the psychological wellbeing of those responsible for defending their rights.
He said the NHRC, through its Human Rights Institute, had organised training and capacity-building programmes on mental health and human rights, particularly for investigation officers.
The programmes are designed to equip officers with the skills to identify mental health and psychosocial concerns, respond appropriately to vulnerable complainants and recognise situations requiring professional intervention.
Ojukwu added that the establishment of the commission’s Vulnerable Group Department had strengthened its capacity to address the rights and needs of vulnerable populations, including persons experiencing mental health challenges.
He disclosed that the commission was collaborating with relevant stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, to integrate human rights considerations into the proposed National Mental Health Strategic Plan for 2027–2032.
He described the proposed five-year plan as a significant development in Nigeria’s mental healthcare framework, noting that it would be the country’s first consolidated national strategic plan on mental health.
The commission, he said, had also participated in training organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on drug prevention, treatment and care, with particular attention to the relationship between substance use, mental health and human rights.
Ojukwu said the engagement reinforced the commission’s advocacy for the implementation of the National Mental Health Act and a rights-based approach to drug-related challenges, including access to treatment, rehabilitation and psychosocial support.
He further disclosed that the NHRC, in partnership with the Taipei Trade Office and civil society organisations, had provided grants and free mental health sessions to some indigent women who were victims of human rights violations.
The commission had also intervened in cases involving persons with psychosocial and psychological disabilities in Kano State, including children and adults subjected to solitary confinement before being moved to a welfare facility following its intervention.
Ojukwu also recounted a recent case in the Federal Capital Territory in which the commission rescued a child from a woman living in what he described as an extremely distressing and inhuman condition linked to her mental state.
He said the cases demonstrated that mental health challenges could affect entire families and communities, requiring responses based on protection, professional care, family support and respect for human dignity rather than punishment, abandonment or abuse.
In a goodwill message, the Founder of the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative, Ameh Zion, also called for stronger implementation of Nigeria’s mental health legislation and increased collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations and development partners.
Zion described mental health as a human rights imperative, arguing that people experiencing depression, psychosis, trauma and psychosocial disabilities should not lose their dignity or fundamental rights because of their conditions.
He cited WHO estimates indicating that about 1.2 billion people globally were living with mental health disorders as of 2023, while expressing concern that a significant proportion of affected persons in Nigeria lacked access to effective care.
He said stigma, discrimination, inadequate services and shortages of trained professionals continued to prevent many Nigerians from obtaining the support they needed.
Zion also highlighted the psychological effects of terrorism, violence, displacement and abuse, noting that survivors often carried invisible wounds that affected their functioning and capacity to contribute to national development.
He said families and caregivers also faced emotional and financial difficulties, frequently without adequate institutional support.
The initiative’s founder urged stakeholders to move beyond public awareness campaigns and ensure the effective implementation of existing mental health laws and policies across the country.
He called for the National Mental Health Act to be fully implemented and domesticated across Nigerian states, stressing that the legislation must translate into accessible services and enforceable protections for affected persons.
Zion identified opportunities for collaboration between the NHRC, the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative and African mental health reform stakeholders.
He said his organisation was ready to provide technical expertise and collaborate with the commission on public awareness, institutional capacity building, psychosocial support for survivors of human rights violations, referral pathways, policy advocacy and rights-based interventions.
He urged stakeholders to translate discussions surrounding World Mental Health Day into practical commitments with clearly defined priorities, responsibilities and measurable outcomes.
According to him, sustained collaboration would help address the gap between policy commitments and the actual experiences of people living with mental health conditions.
Ojukwu also called for stronger mental health and psychosocial support for survivors of conflict, terrorism, gender-based violence, displacement, torture, trafficking and other serious human rights violations.
He urged schools, workplaces, families and communities to create supportive environments where people could discuss mental health concerns and seek help without fear of stigma or rejection.
He further encouraged religious and traditional leaders to complement professional mental healthcare rather than replace it when clinical treatment or psychosocial support was necessary.
The NHRC executive secretary called on the media to promote accurate, respectful and sensitive reporting of mental health issues, warning against narratives that reinforce stereotypes, discrimination or stigma.
He said journalists and media organisations had an important role in helping the public understand mental health conditions and the need for appropriate support and professional care.
As part of its commitment, the commission pledged to continue promoting awareness, investigating human rights violations, protecting vulnerable persons and advocating policies that uphold the rights and dignity of all Nigerians.
Ojukwu maintained that Nigeria could not effectively protect human dignity while people continued to suffer in silence or face discrimination because they required mental healthcare.
He called for a national mental health system in which affected persons were not abandoned, families received adequate support and access to treatment was recognised as an essential component of the right to health.