By Simpson Global Media News Desk
Medical experts have called on the Nigerian government to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse and intensify efforts to address the country’s growing mental health burden, warning that drug misuse is increasingly placing pressure on individuals, families, healthcare facilities and wider society.
The call was made in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during a mental health awareness walk organised as part of activities marking the 2026 World Mental Health Day. Dr Abayomi Olajide, a consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, said the situation required urgent and coordinated intervention from government and other stakeholders.
Olajide, who chairs the Mental Health Action Committee in Ogun State, argued that substance abuse should no longer be treated solely as a law-enforcement problem. In his view, the issue has become a major public-health challenge requiring prevention, early intervention, treatment, rehabilitation and sustained public education.
A Growing Mental Health Concern
The psychiatrist said Nigeria's mental health challenges were being compounded by social and economic pressures, including unemployment, poverty, insecurity and other forms of social distress.
A report by the Tribune, based on comments made by Olajide during the 2026 Mental Health Day activities, said he believed the country's mental health burden had worsened amid these pressures. He also raised concerns about limited access to professional mental healthcare.
The warning comes at a time when health professionals and government agencies are increasingly emphasising the need to move mental healthcare away from stigma and isolation and towards accessible, community-based services.
For many Nigerians experiencing mental health conditions, access to professional care can be difficult because of cost, limited services, geographical barriers and fear of discrimination.
The result is that some people may delay seeking help until their condition becomes severe.
Experts argue that this pattern needs to change.
Mental health conditions require the same seriousness as other health conditions, particularly when symptoms interfere with a person's ability to work, study, maintain relationships or function safely in the community.
Substance Abuse at the Centre of Concern
A major focus of the latest warning is the relationship between substance abuse and mental health.
Olajide said substance use disorders were placing substantial pressure on psychiatric services and warned that the problem was increasingly affecting different sections of Nigerian society.
A separate report published by TimesNG quoted him as saying that about 90 per cent of bed spaces in psychiatric hospitals were occupied by people dealing with substance-use disorders. That figure was attributed to the psychiatrist's remarks and should therefore be understood as his assessment rather than a nationally audited statistic.
He also expressed concern about drug use among young people and other groups, underscoring the need for prevention programmes that reach schools, families and communities before substance use develops into a serious disorder.
The concern is not limited to illegal narcotics.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency lists substances including cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol and codeine-containing cough syrup among commonly abused substances in Nigeria. The agency also identifies psychological consequences associated with drug abuse, including anxiety, depression, psychosis, sleep problems, hallucinations and panic attacks.
This connection between substance use and mental wellbeing makes the issue particularly complex.
Law enforcement can disrupt trafficking networks and remove illicit drugs from circulation, but public-health experts say enforcement alone cannot address dependence among people who are already using substances.
Treatment and rehabilitation are also necessary.
Why Early Intervention Matters
Mental health professionals say early intervention can prevent some conditions from becoming more severe.
When people experiencing depression, anxiety, substance dependence or other mental health problems receive appropriate support early, healthcare workers can assess their needs and determine the most appropriate form of treatment.
That may include counselling, psychological therapy, medical treatment, rehabilitation, social support or a combination of interventions.
But access remains a major concern.
Olajide told the Tribune that fewer than 10 per cent of people living with mental health conditions have access to care, highlighting what he described as inadequate mental-health services and heavy reliance on out-of-pocket payments.
If people cannot afford treatment, or if services are unavailable close to where they live, they may be forced to continue coping without professional support.
For people affected by substance dependence, the consequences can be particularly serious.
Repeated drug use can affect physical health, psychological wellbeing, relationships and economic stability. In severe cases, it can contribute to psychiatric emergencies and expose individuals and families to additional risks.
Nigeria Already Has a Mental Health Legal Framework
Nigeria is not without a legal framework for addressing mental health.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare lists the National Mental Health Act among the country's public-health policies. The Act provides for a structured national response to mental healthcare and the protection of the rights of people living with mental health conditions.
The legislation was designed to establish a coherent system for mental health services, protect fundamental rights and promote access to integrated and community-based care.
The Act specifically provides for the establishment of a Mental Health Services Department within the Federal Ministry responsible for health. Its objectives include promoting mental wellbeing, facilitating humane treatment and rehabilitation, protecting the rights of people with mental health conditions and supporting community-based mental healthcare.
The existence of the legal framework, however, does not automatically guarantee adequate services.
Implementation requires funding, trained professionals, facilities, medicines, community programmes and effective coordination among government agencies.
This is one of the reasons experts continue to call for stronger government action.
Government Has Taken Steps on Mental Health
The Federal Government has previously acknowledged the need to strengthen mental healthcare.
In September, the Ministry announced that the Federal Executive Council had approved its position on the decriminalisation of attempted suicide, with the matter expected to proceed to the National Assembly for the required legislative process.
The Ministry said the move was consistent with a broader effort to treat people experiencing mental health crises through care, support and timely intervention rather than punishment.
It also identified the National Mental Health Act 2021, National Mental Health Policy 2023 and National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework 2023–2030 as key instruments in the country's mental-health response.
The proposed change is significant because it reflects a wider shift in how mental health emergencies are viewed.
Instead of automatically treating a person in crisis as a criminal, a public-health approach focuses on immediate safety, professional assessment and access to appropriate care.
That approach is consistent with the broader principle that mental health conditions should be addressed as health issues while ensuring that people receive protection and support.
The Need to Reduce Stigma
Experts at the Abeokuta awareness campaign also urged Nigerians to stop discriminating against people living with mental health conditions.
Stigma remains one of the barriers that can prevent people from seeking help.
Some people fear being labelled, rejected by relatives, discriminated against at work or school, or misunderstood by their communities.
Others may interpret symptoms of mental illness through social or cultural explanations rather than seeking professional assessment.
Health professionals say public education can help change those attitudes.
Families and communities have an important role to play by encouraging people experiencing psychological distress to seek appropriate care instead of isolating them.
That does not mean every emotional difficulty represents a mental disorder.
It does mean that persistent or severe symptoms should not automatically be dismissed, mocked or hidden.
The Role of Families and Schools
The call for emergency action also places attention on prevention.
Children and adolescents can be particularly vulnerable to substance exposure, peer pressure and other social influences.
Schools can therefore play an important role in prevention by providing accurate information about drugs, mental health and where students can seek help.
Parents and guardians also need reliable information.
Simply warning young people not to use drugs may not be sufficient. Families need to understand the reasons young people may experiment with substances, recognise warning signs and know where professional help is available.
Schools, religious organisations, community leaders, healthcare professionals and government agencies can work together to create environments in which young people can ask for help without immediately facing shame or punishment.
The NDLEA already conducts drug-demand-reduction and awareness programmes in schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities. Its recent activities have included sensitisation programmes in several Nigerian states.
Expanding such prevention work, health experts argue, could complement enforcement efforts.
Treatment Must Accompany Enforcement
Nigeria's response to substance abuse involves law enforcement because illicit drug trafficking is a criminal activity.
But addiction and substance-use disorders are also health issues.
The distinction matters.
A person involved in drug trafficking and a person struggling with dependence may require very different interventions.
Law enforcement agencies are responsible for disrupting criminal networks, while healthcare professionals and rehabilitation services can address the medical and psychological consequences of substance dependence.
The NDLEA itself recognises a treatment component in its mandate and says it has rehabilitation centres with professionals available to attend to drug-dependent persons.
A stronger national response would therefore require these approaches to work together.
Prevention can reduce exposure.
Law enforcement can disrupt supply.
Treatment can address dependence.
Rehabilitation can support recovery.
Community reintegration can help people return to productive lives.
Mental Healthcare and Financial Access
Cost is another major barrier.
Where mental healthcare is primarily financed directly by patients and families, people with limited incomes may postpone treatment or stop treatment prematurely.
That can increase the burden on families and potentially result in more severe illness.
The Federal Ministry has previously stated that most Nigerians pay out of pocket for mental health services and has said it wants greater financial protection for people with mental health conditions.
Improving financial access is therefore an important part of the wider mental-health response.
Health insurance schemes and public-sector programmes can help reduce the financial burden if mental-health services are properly included, funded and available.
But insurance coverage alone will not solve the problem.
There must also be enough psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, counsellors and other trained professionals to provide care.
Community-Based Care
The National Mental Health Act promotes a community-based approach to mental healthcare.
That principle is important because psychiatric hospitals cannot carry the entire burden of mental healthcare in a country as large and populous as Nigeria.
Primary healthcare facilities are often the first point of contact between citizens and the health system.
Integrating appropriate mental-health services into primary healthcare could help people receive support closer to home.
Community-based care can also improve early identification.
A patient does not necessarily need to wait until a condition becomes severe before receiving assistance.
Trained primary-care workers can identify warning signs, provide basic support, refer complicated cases and help patients continue treatment.
Specialist services would remain essential for severe or complex conditions, but they would operate as part of a broader system rather than as the only available option.
The Economic Cost of Untreated Mental Health Conditions
Mental health is also an economic issue.
When people are unable to work because of untreated mental health conditions, households can lose income.
Employers can experience absenteeism and reduced productivity.
Families may spend substantial amounts caring for relatives who require long-term support.
Young people whose education is disrupted may experience long-term consequences for their employment opportunities.
Substance abuse can add further economic and social costs through accidents, family breakdown, criminal activity, unemployment and health complications.
This is why the experts' call for emergency action is broader than a request for more psychiatric hospitals.
It is a call for prevention and treatment to become part of Nigeria's overall development strategy.
A Coordinated National Response
A comprehensive response would require cooperation between the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, state governments, the NDLEA, education authorities, security agencies, healthcare professionals, civil-society organisations and communities.
Each institution has a different responsibility.
Health authorities can strengthen treatment and rehabilitation.
Education authorities can expand prevention and awareness programmes.
The NDLEA can continue disrupting trafficking networks while supporting drug-demand-reduction initiatives.
State governments can improve mental-health services at community level.
Professional associations can support training and public education.
Families and community leaders can help reduce stigma and encourage people to seek care.
Such coordination is particularly important because substance abuse does not have a single cause.
Economic hardship, peer influence, availability of drugs, family circumstances, trauma, mental illness and social exclusion can all play roles in individual cases.
A single intervention is therefore unlikely to solve the problem.
What Happens Next
The immediate question is whether the latest call for a state of emergency will translate into a broader national policy response.
The government already has a mental-health legal framework and strategic documents. The challenge is ensuring that policies translate into services that Nigerians can actually access.
That means increasing funding, expanding community-based services, improving mental-health coverage under health financing arrangements, strengthening rehabilitation programmes and training more professionals.
It also means maintaining prevention programmes that reach young people before substance use becomes entrenched.
The Federal Government's recent move on attempted-suicide legislation demonstrates that mental health is receiving greater attention at policy level.
The latest demand from mental-health professionals now adds pressure for similar urgency in addressing substance abuse.
Beyond the Emergency Call
Declaring an emergency can draw attention and mobilise resources, but experts say the real measure of progress will be what follows.
Nigeria needs sustained investment rather than temporary campaigns.
It needs accessible treatment rather than awareness alone.
It needs rehabilitation rather than punishment as the only response to dependence.
It needs accurate information rather than stigma.
And it needs a healthcare system in which people can seek help before a crisis becomes life-threatening.
The latest warning from Abeokuta therefore comes at an important moment for Nigeria's health sector.
As the country marks the 2026 World Mental Health Day period, the message from medical professionals is clear: mental health and substance abuse require coordinated public-health action, adequate funding and greater attention from policymakers.
For millions of Nigerians and their families, the success of that response will ultimately be measured not by the number of declarations made, but by whether a person struggling with mental illness or substance dependence can find affordable, professional and compassionate care when it is needed.
Nigeria already has the policy foundations for such a system.
The next challenge is turning those commitments into accessible services across communities nationwide.
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