By Blessing Elo Oghene
Who should step in when a young Nigerian is battling addiction, depression, suicidal thoughts or struggling to access care? This question will take centre stage at the 4th Vanguard Mental Health Summit, which opens in Lagos on Friday, October 9, 2026.
The summit, scheduled to hold at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, will feature a panel of psychiatrists, policymakers, public health experts, civil society leaders, advocates and people with lived experience discussing the topic, “Who is Responsible for the Mental Health of Young People in Nigeria?”
The panel will examine how government, families, health professionals, schools, communities, civil society organisations and young people themselves can contribute to prevention, early intervention and access to mental healthcare.
It will also consider gaps in the current response to youth mental health challenges in the country.
The summit is themed, “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria through Access, Action and Advocacy,” with “Mental Health in a Digital Age: Navigating Social Media, Technology and Wellbeing” as the sub-theme.
Issues expected to dominate discussions include youth addiction, suicide prevention, treatment gaps, early intervention, and the growing influence of social media and digital technology on young people’s wellbeing.
Moderating the panel will be Dr. Ayantunde Kayode Ayankola, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist in Drug and Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.
Other panelists include Dr. Olufunmilayo Eniola Akinola, Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba; Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Director, Special Projects and Mental Health, Lagos State Ministry of Health; Barrister Ayo Adebusoye, Secretary General, Nigeria Network of NGOs; and Deborah Omage, a lived experience leader and mental health policy advocate.
Their contributions will extend the discussion beyond clinical treatment to areas including policy, community support, human rights and youth participation.
Other speakers at the summit will address different aspects of youth mental health. Dr. Veronica Oluyemisi Nyamali, President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria and Chief Consultant Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, is expected to deliver the keynote address.
Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, Continental Representative for LifeLine International and Professor of Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, will speak on “Mental Health As Our Social Capital.”
Prof. Mashudat Abiola Bello-Mojeed, Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health and Chief Consultant Psychiatrist at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service Centre, Yaba, will examine the impact of social media on young people.
The programme will also address substance use and the justice system, with Dr. Daniel Ikpechukwu, a substance abuse and behavioural health counsellor based in Georgia, United States, scheduled to speak on “Youth Drug Addiction and the Justice System: Advancing Treatment, Rehabilitation and Recovery in Nigeria.”
Prof. Afekhide Ernest Omoti, President of the Nigerian Medical Association, will focus on moving youth mental health from policy to practice, while Dr. Oluwafemi Oluwatayo, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chief Executive Officer of Retreat Healthcare, will demonstrate Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, TMS.
Since its launch in 2021, the Vanguard Mental Health Summit has brought together mental health professionals, policymakers, civil society organisations, young people and other stakeholders to examine major mental health challenges and possible solutions.
The fourth edition is expected to build on previous discussions by placing young people at the centre of conversations around prevention, treatment, accountability and reform.
The summit will also examine how families, institutions and the wider society can respond more effectively to the mental health needs of young Nigerians.
With its central question of who should act, the summit is expected to place responsibility and practical action at the centre of discussions on youth mental health in Nigeria.
