Abuja: The Federal Government has announced a sweeping series of reforms aimed at addressing Nigeria’s growing burden of neurological and mental health conditions. The initiative aligns with global health priorities and seeks to bridge the brain health care gap across Africa.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the announcement was made by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, in a keynote address at the first Africa Neurological Health Summit held in Abuja. The event, co-hosted by the Brain and Spine Foundation Africa and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, brought together African health leaders, experts, and development partners to discuss policy and advocacy strategies for improving neurological care on the continent.
Pate, speaking on the theme ‘Policy and Advocacy in Neurological Healthcare in Africa: Bridging the Gap Towards Achieving WHO-IGAP on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (2022-2031),’ addressed the summit. Pate, who was represented by Dr. Tunde Ojo, National Coordinator, Mental Health Programme, described the event as a turning point in Nigeria’s health reform agenda.
The reforms include the integration of neurological and mental health services into the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), making essential services more accessible to underserved communities. Additionally, neurological and mental health indicators will now be included in Nigeria’s National Health Information Management System (NHMIS), enabling real-time tracking and improved policy decision-making. Following the enactment of the Mental Health Act in 2021, Nigeria developed a new National Mental Health Policy in 2023 and adopted mhGAP 3.0. This development has allowed mental health services to be integrated into vertical disease programmes like HIV, tuberculosis, and reproductive health services.
A new tax policy under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain was also announced, which includes waivers on neuropharmaceutical products and raw materials to enhance affordability, support local manufacturing, and strengthen supply chains. The importance of the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) in aligning resources, donor funding, and technical support with national priorities was emphasized, ensuring more effective and accountable healthcare delivery, especially for neurological conditions.
The Federal Government is currently training state-level Mental Health Desk Officers to plan and coordinate mental and neurological health services, promoting sustainability, and ensuring responsiveness to local needs. The Minister reaffirmed the government’s push to decriminalise attempted suicide, describing it as essential to a compassionate, rights-based mental health approach. Neurological disorders are now the second leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of disability, with stroke, epilepsy, migraines, and dementia as major contributors.
Prof. Samuel Ohaegbulam, President of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine and Patron of the Brain and Spine Foundation Africa, highlighted the systemic neglect and infrastructure gaps in neurological care. He questioned whether neurosurgery is viewed as a luxury in low-income countries and shared his experience establishing Memfys Hospital in Enugu, which has produced 115 neurosurgeons without government support.
Former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Iyom Josephine Anenih, called for early detection of neurological disorders at the primary healthcare level and urged the government to equip PHCs for better identification of such conditions. Mr. Chika Okwuolisa, Co-Convener of the summit and Executive Director of Brain and Spine Foundation Africa, described her personal advocacy journey, emphasizing that brain health is fundamental to life.
The summit, under the sub-theme ‘Revolutionising Neurological Healthcare in Nigeria,’ called for cross-sector collaboration, greater research investment, and public education to address stigma and drive systemic change. It ended with a unified call for time-bound, concrete commitments to transform brain health from a neglected issue into a mainstream health priority across Africa.
