The Federal Government has begun moves to remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide after the Federal Executive Council approved the decriminalisation of suicide attempts.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, announced the development Thursday in Abuja during activities marking the 2026 World Suicide Prevention Day.
Salako, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Daju Kachollom, said the proposal would now be sent to the National Assembly for the necessary legislative process.
Under the existing Criminal Code, attempting suicide is a criminal offence punishable by up to one year in prison.
The government’s proposed reform would remove that penalty and shift the response toward healthcare and support.
Salako said the reform was “more than a legal reform, but a public health and human rights imperative.”
He added: “People experiencing mental health crises should be provided with care, support and appropriate intervention rather than punishment.”
The minister said the National Task Force on Decriminalisation of Attempted Suicide had consulted government institutions, legal experts, mental health professionals, civil society groups, development partners and people with lived experience.
He said removing criminal sanctions could reduce stigma and encourage people in crisis to seek help.
The government also said it was working to integrate mental health services into primary healthcare and other areas of the health system.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates more than 7,000 suicide deaths and about 300,000 suicide attempts in Nigeria annually.
The government’s move comes as stakeholders warn that decriminalisation alone will not end the country’s suicide crisis.
They are calling for better data, crisis intervention services, funding and stronger mental health care.
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