Nigeria plans to decriminalise attempted suicide as authorities grapple with a severe shortage of mental health professionals.
Health Minister Ali Pate announced that the government will send a bill to the national assembly.
Attempted suicide remains a criminal offence in Nigeria, punishable by up to one year in prison under colonial-era law.
Health Minister Ali Pate described suicide as a major public health concern across the West African nation.
The planned legislative change rests on the fundamental idea that attempted suicide should not be treated as a crime.
Nigeria records about 300,000 suicide attempts annually, resulting in at least 7,000 deaths, World Health Organization figures show.
Criminalising suicide attempts discourages desperate individuals from seeking help and conflicts with national mental health policies, Pate said.
Africa’s most populous country faces a severe shortage of care, with fewer than 1,000 psychiatrists serving 200 million people.
Mental health issues remain widely stigmatised across the country, creating shadowed paths for those in urgent psychological distress.
The government hopes removing legal penalties will open compassionate lifelines and encourage vulnerable people to access treatment.