The federal government has intensified efforts to develop a National Teens and Youth Mental Health Policy aimed at addressing the growing burden of mental health challenges among Nigerian adolescents and young people.
The minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande Wisdom, disclosed this in Abuja at the National Legislative Roundtable on Teens and Youth Mental Health, where he stressed the need for coordinated action to safeguard the wellbeing of young Nigerians.
The roundtable was attended by Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa, representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency of Abia State, and Hon. Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency of Kaduna State. Also in attendance was a representative of the minister of Youth Development, alongside other guests and participants.
Olawande said the Federal Ministry of Youth Development would continue to work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Assembly, development partners, civil society organisations, youth-led groups and other stakeholders to produce policies capable of improving mental health outcomes for youths.
He said the recommendations from the roundtable must go beyond paper resolutions and form the basis of a transformative national policy that reflects the realities and aspirations of Nigerian adolescents and youths.
According to him, the proposed policy aligns with the World Health Organisation’s global framework, which encourages countries to strengthen adolescent mental health through evidence-based policies, prevention, early intervention, multi-sectoral collaboration and active youth participation.
The minister noted that the roundtable was designed to move discussions beyond advocacy to practical action by bringing together lawmakers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, development partners, academics, civil society organisations and youth groups to develop workable recommendations.
“Our engagement today should produce a national document that will provide sustainable solutions, strengthen prevention, build resilience and improve access to quality mental health services for every young Nigerian,” he said.
He added that Nigeria must move away from isolated interventions towards a coordinated, youth-centred policy that prioritises prevention, equitable access to mental healthcare and meaningful involvement of young people in decisions affecting their wellbeing.
Earlier, the founder and executive Director of the Initiative for Self Esteem Education and Advocacy, Rosemary Ochiwu, warned that mental health challenges among adolescents had reached an alarming level.
Quoting figures from the World Health Organisation, Ochiwu said one in every seven adolescents globally lives with a mental health condition, while half of all mental health disorders begin before the age of 14.
She added that when the global estimates are applied to Nigeria, nearly 11 million adolescents may currently be living with mental health conditions.
“These are not mere statistics. They represent 11 million young people with dreams and limitless potential whose futures depend, in part, on the decisions we make today,” she said.
Ochiwu called for stronger collaboration among the youth development, health, education, justice and women affairs sectors, alongside development partners, civil society organisations, communities and families, to prioritise prevention, early intervention and accessible mental health support.
She maintained that effective policies would shape national priorities, influence budgets, strengthen institutions and ultimately save lives.