The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over the growing rate of mental health challenges in Nigeria, attributing it to the increasing level of hardship, poverty, and unemployment across the country.
In a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday to mark World Mental Health Day, Obi lamented that many Nigerians, especially the youth, have been pushed into depression, hopelessness, and even suicide due to the unbearable socio-economic conditions.
Citing a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the former Anambra State governor noted that about 40 million Nigerians are currently suffering from various mental health disorders, yet the country lacks sufficient medical professionals and facilities to manage the crisis.
He said the WHO data reflected the country’s continued neglect of the health sector, stressing that mental well-being is even more critical than physical health.
“Nigerians are now feeling so overwhelmed by hardship that they are mentally affected. The government must treat this as a public health emergency,” Obi said.
He called for urgent and comprehensive investment in mental health infrastructure, including the establishment of properly equipped psychiatric hospitals across all geopolitical zones, and the recruitment and training of mental health specialists.
The former presidential candidate also urged the government to tackle the root causes of mental distress—poverty, unemployment, and hunger—while building a society that inspires hope and gives every citizen a reason to live.
Obi concluded by emphasizing that a nation’s true progress is not measured by the wealth of its leaders but by the health and well-being of its people.
