* Says less than 3% covered by insurance

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised the alarm over the treatment of Nigerians living with mental health conditions, warning that inadequate health insurance, widespread stigma and persistent human rights abuses are denying vulnerable citizens access to care and exposing some to degrading and inhuman treatment.

The commission disclosed that no fewer than three per cent of people with mental health conditions in Nigeria were covered by health insurance, leaving many individuals and their families struggling to pay for treatment in a country where mental healthcare services and trained professionals remain inadequate.

It also revealed cases involving children and adults with psychosocial disabilities who were subjected to solitary confinement in Kano State, as well as a child rescued in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from a woman living in what the commission described as an extremely distressing and inhuman condition linked to her mental state.

The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, raised these concerns in Abuja on Monday while commemorating the 2026 World Mental Health Day, calling on the Federal Government to urgently increase funding for mental healthcare, expand access to treatment and strengthen enforcement of laws protecting the rights of affected persons.

Ojukwu warned that Nigeria could not claim to uphold human dignity while people experiencing mental health conditions were abandoned, discriminated against, denied appropriate treatment or subjected to abuse because of their conditions.

He said mental health must be recognised not merely as a medical concern but as a fundamental human rights issue requiring urgent and coordinated action by government institutions, healthcare providers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

“A mental-health condition does not reduce a person’s worth, dignity or human rights,” he said.

The NHRC chief stressed that people living with mental health conditions were entitled to equality, respect, appropriate medical care and the opportunity to participate fully in society, adding that their conditions must never become grounds for exclusion, neglect or the denial of personal autonomy.

The commission’s warning comes amid continuing concerns about the accessibility and affordability of mental healthcare in Nigeria, where poverty, insecurity, displacement and shortages of specialised services place additional pressure on individuals and families seeking treatment.

Citing World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, Ojukwu said nearly one in seven people globally live with a mental disorder, while many requiring care remain unable to access effective treatment.

He noted that the situation was particularly concerning in communities affected by terrorism, abductions, armed violence and displacement, where survivors often experienced psychological trauma capable of affecting their daily activities, relationships and ability to contribute meaningfully to society.

According to him, survivors of gender-based violence, torture, trafficking and other serious human rights violations also require mental health and psychosocial support as part of efforts to restore their dignity and help them recover.

He said the government must therefore move beyond general awareness campaigns and make concrete investments in accessible services, trained personnel, health insurance and community-based care.

Of particular concern to the commission is the gap between Nigeria’s legal commitments and the actual experiences of people living with mental health conditions.

Nigeria enacted the National Mental Health Act in 2021, which received presidential assent in December 2022, establishing a legal framework for mental healthcare and the protection of the rights of affected persons.

The country also has a National Mental Health Policy and a National Suicide Prevention Strategic Framework.

However, Ojukwu maintained that the existence of laws and policy documents would have limited impact unless they translated into affordable treatment, accessible services and effective mechanisms for holding perpetrators of abuse accountable.

He called for the full implementation of the National Mental Health Act and Policy, warning that people experiencing mental health conditions continued to face discrimination in education, employment, housing and community life.

Some, he said, 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 urged the Federal Government to expand affordable mental health services through primary healthcare centres, strengthen health insurance coverage and recruit, train and deploy more psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, psychiatric nurses and social workers.

He also called for effective oversight of mental healthcare facilities to prevent neglect, unlawful confinement and other forms of abuse.

Highlighting the commission’s interventions, Ojukwu disclosed that the NHRC had handled cases involving children and adults with psychosocial and psychological disabilities in Kano State who had been subjected to solitary confinement before being moved to a welfare facility following the commission’s intervention.

He also recounted a recent case in the FCT 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.

The cases, he said, demonstrated that mental health challenges could affect entire families and communities, requiring responses based on professional care, protection and support rather than punishment, abandonment or abuse.

Ojukwu said the commission had established a Counselling Unit at its headquarters to provide emotional support to victims of human rights violations and traumatic experiences.

The unit also supports NHRC personnel who may experience emotional distress from handling cases involving violence, abuse, bereavement and human suffering.

He added that the commission’s Human Rights Institute had organised training programmes for investigation officers to help them identify mental health and psychosocial concerns, respond appropriately to vulnerable complainants and recognise cases requiring professional intervention.

The establishment of the NHRC’s Vulnerable Group Department had further strengthened its capacity to address the needs of vulnerable populations, including persons experiencing mental health challenges, he said.

The commission had also partnered with the Taipei Trade Office and civil society organisations to provide grants and free mental health sessions to some indigent women who were victims of human rights violations.

Ojukwu said the NHRC was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other stakeholders to incorporate human rights considerations into the proposed National Mental Health Strategic Plan for 2027–2032.

He described the proposed plan as an important step towards establishing a consolidated national direction for mental healthcare, but stressed that its effectiveness would depend on implementation, funding and measurable improvements in access to services.

The commission 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 advocated a rights-based approach to drug-related challenges, including access to treatment, rehabilitation and psychosocial support.

The intervention is significant in a country where mental health conditions may intersect with substance use, poverty, violence and social exclusion, making coordinated healthcare and social support essential to recovery.

In a goodwill message, the Founder of the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative, Ameh Zion, also called for stronger implementation of the National Mental Health Act and greater collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations and development partners.

Zion said people experiencing depression, psychosis, trauma and psychosocial disabilities must not lose their dignity or fundamental rights because of their conditions.

He expressed concern that stigma, inadequate services and shortages of trained professionals continued to prevent many Nigerians from obtaining the help they needed.

According to him, survivors of terrorism, violence, displacement and abuse often carried psychological wounds that affected their functioning and ability to contribute to national development, while their families and caregivers struggled with emotional and financial burdens.

He urged stakeholders to ensure that mental health legislation translated into accessible services and enforceable protections across the country, rather than remaining largely a policy commitment.

Zion also expressed his organisation’s readiness to work with the NHRC and other African mental health reform stakeholders on public awareness, institutional capacity building, referral systems, psychosocial support for survivors and policy advocacy.