FEC Moves To Decriminalise Attempted Suicide, Sends Mental Health Reform To National Assembly
By IFEOMA IZUCHUKWU & DIANA CHUKWUKA
THE Federal Executive Council has approved a proposed amendment to Nigeria’s mental health law that would remove attempted suicide from the country’s criminal offences.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed the decision after Wednesday’s FEC meeting. He said the Federal Government would now transmit the proposed amendment to the National Assembly for consideration.
The move could mark a major shift in Nigeria’s treatment of people who survive suicide attempts. Instead of approaching such cases primarily through criminal sanctions, the proposed reform seeks to place greater emphasis on medical care, psychological support and rehabilitation.
Colonial-Era Provisions Under Review
Attempted suicide remains a criminal offence under relevant provisions of Nigeria’s Criminal Code and Penal Code.
The laws largely reflect legal frameworks inherited from the colonial period. Critics of the provisions have argued that criminalising attempted suicide can deepen the vulnerability of people experiencing severe psychological distress.
Rather than receiving immediate medical and psychological assistance, a survivor could face arrest or prosecution under the existing framework.
Pate said the proposed reform reflects the Federal Government’s intention to change that approach.
“The idea is attempted suicide is not a crime,” the minister said.
However, the FEC decision does not immediately alter Nigeria’s criminal law. The National Assembly must consider, debate and pass the proposed amendment before it can become legally effective.
From Punishment to Care
The proposed amendment seeks to redefine the government’s response to suicide attempts.
Under the emerging policy direction, people who survive attempts would be treated primarily as individuals requiring intervention and support rather than simply as offenders.
That approach places mental healthcare at the centre of suicide prevention. It also recognises that suicidal behaviour can arise from complex psychological, social and economic pressures that require professional intervention.
The government developed the proposal through consultations involving mental health advocates, the Ministry of Justice, the Attorney-General’s office, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, a national task force and members of the National Assembly.
The process began more formally in 2024 with the inauguration of a national task force on the decriminalisation of attempted suicide.
The 2030 Target
The proposed legal reform forms part of a broader mental health agenda.
According to Pate, the Federal Government aims to reduce suicide cases by 15 per cent by 2030.
Achieving that target, however, will require more than changing the law. Nigeria will also need accessible mental health services, trained professionals, crisis-response systems and stronger public awareness.
The legal amendment could remove one barrier to seeking help, but experts and advocates will still face the larger challenge of ensuring that appropriate care exists for people in crisis.
What Happens Next
The next stage lies with the National Assembly.
If lawmakers pass the amendment and the legislative process reaches completion, attempted suicide would no longer attract criminal liability under the affected provisions.
Until then, the existing law remains in force.
The significance of the FEC decision therefore lies not only in the proposed removal of a criminal offence. It signals a broader policy argument: that a person who survives a suicide attempt may need protection and treatment more urgently than punishment.
For Nigeria, the legislative debate could become an important test of how the country balances criminal law, public health and human dignity in responding to mental health crises.
