The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called for stronger regulation of psychotropic and antidepressant medicines to improve access to safe mental health treatment, even as it revealed that only about 300 psychiatrists currently serve Nigeria’s population of over 200 million.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said weak regulation, poor access to quality medicines, and rising drug abuse are fuelling Nigeria’s growing mental health crisis.
Speaking at the 3rd Vanguard Mental Health Summit in Lagos, Adeyeye, represented by the Director of Narcotics and Controlled Substances (NCS), NAFDAC, Dr Ramatu Momodu, said that stronger regulation builds trust, improves access to treatment, and could help reduce the estimated 16,000 suicide deaths recorded annually in Nigeria.
‘’Nigeria records an estimated 16,000 suicide deaths every year. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people aged 15 to 29. Major triggers include depression, unemployment, social isolation, and drug abuse, misuse, or overuse. Many of these suicides are preventable through early intervention and access to safe, approved treatment,” she said.
Adeyeye emphasised that effective drug regulation is essential to restoring public trust and ensuring that only approved and safe medicines reach the public.
“Regulation is not just policy; it is protection, prevention, and preservation of life. Strong regulation builds confidence in the healthcare system and ensures access to safe and effective medicines,” she said.
She noted that NAFDAC’s oversight of narcotics and psychotropic substances is aimed not merely at enforcing compliance but at saving lives.
“Poor regulation can lead to unsafe drug abuse, misuse, and overdose. Quality-assured medicines restore hope and prevent deaths.”
The Director-General further stressed the need to strengthen inter-agency partnerships for broader mental health access, fast-track the registration of WHO-prequalified psychotropic drugs, and expand digital surveillance of drug sales. She also called for continuous public sensitisation to reduce stigma and prevent suicide.
Adeyeye added that NAFDAC collaborates with the NDLEA, the Federal Ministry of Health, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure transparency and uphold Nigeria’s obligations under international drug control conventions.
“When we build trust in our systems, we build hope in our people. Regulation is not just policy; it is the protection, prevention, and preservation of life. Mental health is a basic human right that every Nigerian is entitled to,” she added.
