3rd Vanguard Mental Health Summit to unmask dual crisis of addiction, suicide,
By Chioma Obinna
As Nigeria grapples with the growing public health crisis of drug abuse and rising suicide rates, the Vanguard Mental Health Summit is set to shine a spotlight on these twin challenges with the sub theme: “Substance and Silence: Unmasking the Dual Crisis of Addiction and Suicide.”
The event is billed to hold at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos on October, 17th, 2025.
The theme will be delivered by Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd.), Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), whose leadership has intensified Nigeria’s response to drug trafficking and substance use disorders. His presentation is expected to offer deep insights into the intersection of substance abuse, mental health, and suicide issues often swept under the carpet due to stigma, silence, and systemic neglect.
Why Vanguard is focusing on drug abuse
According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, Nigeria has one of the highest drug use prevalence rates in Africa, with an estimated 14.4 per cent of the population aged 15–64, approximately 14.3 million people reportedly using drugs, more than twice the global average of 5.5 per cent. Of this number, 1 in 4 drug users is a woman, and about 3 million people suffer from drug use disorders, needing professional help.
Compounding this crisis is the alarming rise in suicide rates, especially among young people. The World Health Organisation , WHO, estimates that over 720,000 people die by suicide globally each year, with Africa accounting for the highest suicide rate among WHO regions.
In Nigeria, mental health experts warned that the suicide rate is grossly underreported due to stigma and inadequate national data.
“Drug abuse and suicide are deeply interconnected crises. Substance use disorders increase the risk of mental illnesses, while untreated mental health conditions can push individuals toward self-harm. We cannot continue to ignore this dual epidemic,” says Gen. Marwa at the last summit.
Mental health professionals emphasised that drug addiction not only destroys individuals and families but also places an enormous burden on Nigeria’s already fragile healthcare system.
Also, findings have shown that hospitals across the country lack adequate psychiatric services, rehabilitation centers remain underfunded, and mental health legislation has only recently seen reform after decades of inertia.
The Vanguard Mental Health Summit series, organised by Vanguard Newspapers, aims to provide a multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue, policy engagement, and community education. It will bring together government officials, mental health experts, civil society organizations, youth advocates, and development partners to advance sustainable solutions.
Experts argued that beyond enforcement, Nigeria must urgently scale up prevention, early intervention, and treatment services, especially in schools and rural communities.
The summit is also expected to call for better integration of mental health into primary healthcare, stronger community-based rehabilitation, and widespread public awareness campaigns to dismantle the stigma surrounding both addiction and suicide.
With Gen. Marwa’s keynote expected to set the tone, the Vanguard Mental Health Summit promises to be a wake-up call for urgent, unified action on a crisis that continues to grow in silence.
The post 3rd Vanguard Mental Health Summit to unmask dual crisis of addiction, suicide appeared first on Vanguard News.
,
As Nigeria grapples with the growing public health crisis of drug abuse and rising suicide rates, the Vanguard Mental Health Summit is set to shine a spotlight on these twin challenges with the sub theme: “Substance and Silence: Unmasking the Dual Crisis of Addiction and Suicide.”
The post 3rd Vanguard Mental Health Summit to unmask dual crisis of addiction, suicide appeared first on Vanguard News.
, , Nwafor, {authorlink},, , Vanguard News, October 14, 2025, 12:38 am
