The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has called for stronger inter-sectoral collaboration and collective responsibility in addressing the rising prevalence of mental health issues across Nigeria.
Obasa made the call on Tuesday, July 2, 2025, while chairing the Seventh Public Lecture of the Board of Fellows of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) at the Festival Hotel, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos. The event was themed Mental Health: A Basic Human Right Crucial to Personal, Community, and Socio-Economic Development.
Describing the theme as timely and globally relevant, Obasa said the growing incidence of mental health disorders in Nigeria demands urgent attention. He stressed that mental health is foundational to both personal and national development.
For our nation to thrive, we need citizens who are mentally sound and can contribute meaningfully to national development, Obasa said. A nation with a high burden of mental health disorders will suffer a decline in productivity, a decrease in the quality of life, and a strain on health resources.
He noted that communities heavily impacted by mental illness are often destabilised and struggle to make progress. To address this, he urged government agencies, institutions, and individuals to take collective responsibility for improving mental well-being and integrating mental health into public health policies.
Obasa also highlighted the Lagos State Mental Health Service Law of 2018, which was passed during his first term as Speaker. The law protects the rights of individuals with mental health conditions and substance abuse issues, ensures access to care, and promotes the integration of mental health services into primary healthcare.
However, he expressed concern over what he described as insufficient collaboration between professional bodies such as the PSN and lawmakers. We must advocate for policies that promote mental health care, combat stigma, and support initiatives to enhance mental well-being, he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman and CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), linked the rise in mental health disorders to fake drugs and substance abuse. He described mental health as a neglected area of public health and called for increased awareness and sensitisation campaigns by stakeholders, particularly the PSN.
Pharm. Uche Akpakama, chairman of the Board of Fellows of PSN, said over a quarter of Nigerians are affected by mental health issues, worsened by poverty, insecurity, displacement, and unemployment. He expressed hope that the lecture would help address the current mental health challenges and outline roles for pharmacists and other professionals.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri, a consultant psychiatrist and CEO of Redi-Med Consulting, emphasised the need to move from acknowledging the crisis to promoting mental health and preventing disorders. She also stressed the importance of care and support for individuals living with mental health conditions.
The chairman of the planning committee, Pharm. Gbenga Falabi, said the annual lecture aims to facilitate knowledge sharing and the development of strategies for promoting mental health awareness.
According to the organisers, this years lecture underscored the importance of mental health as a human right essential to Nigerias overall development.
