Peter Obi Raises Alarm Over Rising Mental Health Crisis, Says Hardship Driving Nigerians Into Despair

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has expressed concern over the worsening mental health crisis in Nigeria, saying that widespread poverty, unemployment, and economic hardship have pushed millions of citizens into psychological distress.

In a post on his verified X account on Saturday, to mark World Mental Health Day, Obi said the daily struggle for survival has left many Nigerians — especially the youth — feeling hopeless, with some turning to crime or taking their own lives.

Citing a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report estimating that about 40 million Nigerians live with mental health conditions, Obi decried the country’s poor investment in mental healthcare and the shortage of mental health professionals.

“Nigerians are now feeling so overwhelmed by hardship that they are mentally affected,” Obi said. “The government must treat this as a public health emergency. Nigeria needs more mental health professionals and massive investment in psychiatric hospitals across all geopolitical zones.”

The former Anambra State governor stressed that tackling poverty, unemployment, and hunger is essential to improving the nation’s mental wellbeing.

“We must build a nation that heals, uplifts, and gives every citizen a reason to live,” he added. “Nigeria’s progress will never be measured by the wealth of its leaders but by the well-being of its people.”

Obi called on the government to prioritize mental health as part of its development agenda, describing it as “even more important than physical health.”