Health
Mental Health in Nigeria, is it Recognised?
By Timi Olubiyi, PhD
It is safe to say Nigeria’s economy has undergone transformations in recent times, characterised by overambitious reforms aimed at stabilising the macroeconomic environment.
However, these changes have also introduced challenges that directly affect the daily lives of Nigerians.
As of March 2025, Nigeria’s annual inflation rate rose again to 24.23%, up from 23.18% in February 2025, even though it had reached a high of 34.8% in December 2024. Higher food prices and the cost of living primarily contribute to this increase.
Additionally, petrol price has experienced a 488% increase from N175 in May 2023 at the resumption of the current administration to N1,030 in October 2024, even though it currently trades around N950.
The removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the naira have further exacerbated inflationary pressures, leading to increased costs for imported goods and services. The removal of the fuel subsidies has significantly increased operational expenses for businesses, leading to higher prices for goods and services. This situation has led to significant hardship, and it has also made it difficult for many Nigerians to sustain livelihoods, especially those in low-income brackets.
No doubt, the economic challenges continue to have profound effects on mental health, livelihood and well-being. This is in a country where the cost of medicines, in some cases, has risen significantly, with a more than tenfold increase in price.
Mental health is a big issue in all of this, and it is largely disregarded—it is the core of how we experience and navigate our daily activities. Whether in the workplace, market, family, or among friends, the current economic woes do affect our emotional and psychological well-being regardless.
Mental health issues can affect anyone regardless of your age, gender, geography, income, social status, race, ethnicity, or religion. Mental illnesses are health disorders characterised by changes in feelings, thinking, or behaviour, or a combination thereof.
Mental health issues may be linked to discomfort and/or difficulties in professional, social, or family functioning. It determines the quality of overall health, relationships, decisions, security and well-being. The influence of mental health has become undeniably clear in the realms of business, family, and social life in Nigeria.
In Lagos State, for instance, it is a high-pressured environment; many spend long hours to get to work, employers give unrealistic expectations, and job insecurity can create chronic stress, mental health issues and physical illness.
Many can still remember the recent occurrence where some employees in Lagos State who work on the island and live on the mainland of the state experienced long hours in traffic that kept some in Lagos Island at 2am in traffic due to road closures and road maintenance. Such employees are more likely to experience depression or burnout, which can make them underperform. It may even lead to having some chronic issues around their mental health, even though many hardly accept this fact.
In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that depression and anxiety alone cost the global economy a lot. For employees, records have shown that symptoms of mental illness may include difficulty concentrating, absenteeism, emotional exhaustion, or a lack of motivation to even socialize. For entrepreneurs and executives, the stakes are different but equally significant.
The loneliness at the top, coupled with financial and operational pressures, can lead to decision fatigue and emotional instability.
At home, mental health is deeply integrated in attitudes of married couples and families it often leads to strain in communication and tension in the household, and it can lead to emotional withdrawal or even manifest in conflicts.
The high rate of unemployment and joblessness in our country can also contribute to mental health issues in households. However, a parent’s mental health condition significantly shapes the emotional environment in the home and how children grow up.
Humans are social beings, and decent work can contribute to recovery, even though in Nigeria, like many parts in Africa, we fail to recognise the significant impact of mental health on businesses, families and social lives.
More so our need for connection, acceptance, and belonging is deeply rooted in our psychological recognition that mental health is real. Mental health shapes how we interact with others, and our social interactions, in turn, influence our mental health.
So, when mental health is compromised, therefore the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships are also compromised. Depression can result in social withdrawal, anxiety can lead someone to avoid gatherings or become overly self-conscious, and trauma can lead to difficulty trusting others. As a result, people often find themselves isolated during their most vulnerable moments—when support is most needed.
In all, a supportive family can be a powerful buffer against mental health struggles.Therefore, in my opinion, it is crucial to normalise mental health discussions in workplaces, families, and friendship groups to promote understanding and encourage self-care.
In the professional world, success is often measured by tangible outcomes: revenue, promotions, deadlines met, and goals achieved. But beneath the surface of performance metrics lies a crucial, often invisible factor—mental health. Because we are in a world that often prioritises and celebrates output over well-being, re-centering mental health is not just an act of care—it is more than important in the current dispensation for more work-life balance, longevity and a successful life. Good luck!
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Dr Timi Olubiyi is an entrepreneurship and business management expert with a PhD in Business Administration from Babcock University, Nigeria. He is a prolific investment coach, author, seasoned scholar, chartered member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), and a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-registered capital market operator. He can be reached on the Twitter handle @drtimiolubiyi and via email: dr***********@***il.com, for any questions, reactions, and comments.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, Dr Timi Olubiyi, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of others.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.
The Director-General of NHIA, Mr Kelechi Ohiri, said this resulted from the implementation of the mandatory health insurance, which has gained momentum nationwide.
He said this on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) in Lagos.
Mr Ohiri said enrolment had increased to 22.03 million, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year growth, attributing this to stronger collaboration with state social health insurance agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, organised labour, employers, the private sector, and the gradual implementation of the mandatory health insurance provisions of the NHIA Act.
He said that the country had moved beyond policy formulation to delivering measurable improvements in healthcare access, service quality and consumer protection in line with the federal government’s health sector reform agenda.
According to him, Nigeria already has the necessary policies and legislation to achieve Universal Health Coverage, positing that the key challenge was effective implementation.
“The decisive variable is now implementation- consistent, rigorous and accountable execution that converts political commitment into healthcare access for real Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ohiri said that the transition from the former National Health Insurance Scheme to the NHIA had strengthened regulation, consumer protection, accountability and strategic purchasing, while providing the legal and operational framework for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He added that improving the experience of enrollees remained central to the Authority’s reform agenda.
According to him, NHIA has strengthened its complaints management system, introduced faster resolution timelines, and intensified compliance monitoring of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers.
He further added that NHIA had sanctioned facilities that failed to meet the required standards, adding that his organisation had resolved 3,878 complaints, representing an 87 per cent resolution rate, while 95 per cent of the cases were concluded within prescribed timelines.
Mr Ohiri noted that more than N14.2 million had been refunded to enrollees, while non-compliant healthcare facilities had been sanctioned.
He said NHIA had also introduced service standards, including a one-hour treatment commencement target for enrollees requiring urgent care, to improve access to timely and quality healthcare services.
The NHIA boss further disclosed that capitation payments to healthcare providers had been increased by 93 per cent.
He said fee-for-service reimbursements rose by 378 per cent to enable providers to invest more in personnel, equipment and infrastructure.
According to him, 7,592 healthcare facilities have been assessed under the SafeCare quality framework as part of efforts to institutionalise continuous quality improvement across the country.
Mr Ohiri also highlighted interventions targeted at vulnerable groups, including support for more than 48,500 pregnant women, expanded maternal and newborn healthcare services, the Vulnerable Group Fund, and improved access to healthcare for pensioners and retirees.
He said Universal Health Coverage could only be achieved if every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, had access to quality healthcare services.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
