Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A consultant psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Dr Abayomi Oluseyi Olajide, has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on substance abuse in Nigeria.
Olajide reportedly made the call on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in Abeokuta during a Mental Health Awareness Walk Rally organised by the Association of Resident Doctors of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, in collaboration with Edijalo Health Services Limited.
The rally was held as part of activities marking the 2026 World Mental Health Day, with participants using the event to draw attention to mental-health challenges and the need for stronger responses to substance misuse.
Olajide’s reported call comes against the backdrop of growing concern among mental-health professionals over the relationship between substance use and psychiatric disorders in Nigeria.
The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, has a dedicated history of treating substance-use disorders and conducting mental-health awareness programmes. The hospital says its drug-abuse treatment and rehabilitation services form part of its specialised psychiatric services.
The institution has also intensified public education on substance misuse. In June 2026, resident doctors from the hospital took an anti-drug awareness campaign to secondary schools in Ogun State, where they sensitised students on the dangers associated with harmful substance use.
The hospital also hosted training on substance-use-disorder management in February 2026 in collaboration with ISSUP Nigeria, highlighting the continued emphasis on strengthening professional capacity to respond to substance-related mental-health conditions.
Olajide is also listed by the Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative as a psychiatrist and its South-West Zonal Coordinator, reflecting his involvement in broader mental-health advocacy.
The call for stronger government intervention comes amid wider concerns about access to mental-health services and specialist psychiatric care in Nigeria. The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, describes itself as a 735-bed federal mental-health institution with mandates covering clinical services, professional training and research.
Mental-health specialists have repeatedly stressed the importance of prevention, early intervention, public education and access to appropriate treatment in addressing substance-related conditions.
The Aro hospital’s community mental-health programme has similarly focused on taking mental-health education beyond the hospital environment and into communities, including schools and primary healthcare settings.
The reported appeal for a state of emergency would represent a call for a broader national response involving health authorities, schools, communities and other relevant institutions rather than relying solely on treatment after substance-related problems have developed.
The Federal Government has yet to publicly respond to Olajide’s reported appeal.
As of the latest information available, the specific details of the psychiatrist’s speech at Wednesday’s rally could not be independently verified from an official statement or transcript. The call is therefore being reported as an attributed statement rather than an established government policy position.
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