A consultant psychiatrist in Ogun State is urging the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse, saying the trend is worsening Nigeria’s mental health crisis and creating unsafe communities. Dr. Abayomi Olajide, of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, made the call during a Mental Health Awareness Walk held to mark World Mental Health Day 2026.
Olajide links rising mental health challenges to factors such as economic hardship, unemployment, insecurity, poverty and social vices. He says access to mental healthcare remains limited, with most services paid out-of-pocket, and notes that substance abuse is increasingly straining mental health facilities—citing that it accounts for a large share of bed occupancy. He also highlights growing drug use among secondary school students, including reports of substances such as methamphetamine and codeine.
Outlets report broadly the same appeal, with coverage describing the need for a multi-sector response spanning education, health services, communities and other stakeholders. Hospital officials at the event further emphasize the scale of mental health conditions, while organizers frame the walk as part of wider efforts to reduce stigma and turn public discussion into action.
