On World Mental Health Day global, a stark reminder rang out from Nigeria: 85 % of people who need mental health support are still out of reach. The warning comes as the country wrestles with a surging malnutrition emergency in its northern states, a double‑whammy that health officials say will deepen psychological distress unless urgent action is taken.
Background: A Dual Humanitarian Crisis
Since 2022, northern Bauchi State and its neighboring regions—Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Borno and Sokoto—have seen a 25 % jump in severe acute malnutrition cases. In the first half of 2025 alone, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported 32,940 children admitted to inpatient therapeutic feeding centres and another 136,255 to outpatient facilities. The sheer numbers paint a picture of a humanitarian disaster that is as much about bodies as it is about broken spirits.
Scale of Malnutrition and Its Psychological Toll
The link between food insecurity and mental well‑being is well documented, yet the data emerging from Nigeria is startling. MSF’s mental health team, led by Bako, delivered 30,880 counseling sessions between January and June 2025. Those sessions aimed not only at treating anxiety and depression but also at equipping parents—especially mothers— with coping tools while they watched their children battle hunger.
"Communication is sometimes service treatment," Bako explained during a briefing in Bauchi. "When the mother feels listened to, when the child feels safe with the doctor or nurse, that already is treatment." The approach reflects MSF’s belief that psychological first aid is as crucial as rehydration salts.
MSF’s Integrated Response Model
MSF’s strategy goes beyond individual therapy. Since 2022, the organization has trained all field staff—doctors, nurses, logisticians—in basic psychosocial support. In Bauchi, the programme has reached 113,191 children and caregivers since 2024, blending nutrition packs with community‑based counseling groups. Men’s sessions, another novel element, encourage fathers to become emotional anchors for their families, a cultural shift that Bako says "restores hope, dignity, and the bonds that help children and families heal."
WHO’s Regional Outlook and Commitment
Across Africa, the picture is similarly bleak. The World Health Organization Africa Regional Office, based in Brazzaville, revealed that only 11 of 47 countries have embedded Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) into their disaster‑risk plans between 2020 and 2025. Moreover, merely five nations run comprehensive primary‑care mental‑health services, and average government spending hovers below US$0.50 per capita.
"Emergencies don't just threaten physical health—they leave lasting scars on mental well‑being," said Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. He added that one in five people affected by crises will develop a mental‑health condition, underscoring the urgency of integrating MHPSS at every response stage.
WHO aims to have at least 80 % of African nations operating functional MHPSS systems by 2030, a target outlined in its October 10 2025 announcement, "Strengthening mental health services in emergencies across Africa."
Government and NGO Efforts in Nigeria
The Federal Government of Nigeria has publicly pledged to embed mental‑health services into all humanitarian responses. A statement published by The Fact Nigeria on October 10 2025 echoed WHO’s call, declaring mental health an "essential component of any humanitarian and health emergency response."
International partners are also stepping up. CBM Global is delivering peer‑support groups for people living with neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and expanding community‑based mental‑health access. Their mantra—"True healing requires a people‑centred approach with mental health at the heart of both chronic and acute emergencies"—reinforces the notion that mental health cannot be siloed.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
Despite these initiatives, financing remains the Achilles’ heel. With per‑capita health budgets at a fraction of the needed amount, scaling up services will demand innovative financing, perhaps through public‑private partnerships or donor‑co‑funded mental‑health trusts.
Another hurdle is data. Accurate, real‑time mental‑health surveillance is still scarce, making it hard for policymakers to allocate resources efficiently. Strengthening health information systems could bridge that gap, allowing NGOs like MSF and CBM to tailor interventions more precisely.
Ultimately, the success of Nigeria’s response will hinge on whether mental‑health professionals, nutritionists, community leaders, and government officials can truly work as a single unit, turning the current "massive care gap" into a coordinated safety net.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the mental‑health crisis affect children in northern Nigeria?
Children battling severe malnutrition often experience anxiety, depression, and trauma. MSF’s counseling data shows 30,880 sessions in just six months, targeting not only the kids but also their caregivers, because untreated stress can worsen recovery and lead to long‑term developmental setbacks.
What is the WHO’s plan for mental‑health services by 2030?
WHO aims for 80 % of African countries to have functional mental‑health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) systems in place. This includes integrating MHPSS into disaster‑risk plans, financing dedicated budget lines, and training primary‑care workers to deliver basic mental‑health care.
Why is funding for mental‑health so low in the region?
Governments often prioritize immediate physical health emergencies, leaving mental‑health budgets below US$0.50 per person. Limited awareness, competing fiscal pressures, and a lack of robust data on mental‑health burdens further depress investment.
What role do NGOs like CBM Global play in the response?
CBM Global focuses on people‑centred mental‑health services, especially for those affected by neglected tropical diseases. By creating peer‑support groups and safe spaces, they address both chronic and acute psychological needs, complementing the emergency‑focused work of organisations such as MSF.
What are the next steps for the Nigerian government?
The government plans to embed mental‑health cadres within its emergency response teams, allocate dedicated budget lines, and partner with UN agencies and NGOs to roll out community‑based psychosocial interventions across the most affected northern states.
The crisis feels like a bitter reminder that we ignore the vulnerable.
It's heartbreaking to see such suffering; yet, the resilience of northern communities shines through, reminding us that cultural solidarity can be a powerful catalyst for healing.
We must keep the conversation going and ensure every caregiver gets the tools they need – every small step counts 😊.
One cannot help but notice the dissonance between the lofty rhetoric and the on‑the‑ground realities. The statistics, while staggering, are presented without a critical lens on systemic inequities. Moreover, the purported integration of psychosocial support seems more a token gesture than a structural reform. It raises the question of whether donors are satisfied with superficial metrics rather than sustainable capacity building. In short, the narrative feels sanitized, glossing over the deep‑rooted governance failures that perpetuate this crisis.
The data presented underscores a systemic failure in resource allocation that necessitates immediate policy revision.
Stop kidding around – we need real money on the ground now 😡.
From a neuropsychiatric epidemiology standpoint, the prevalence of comorbid malnutrition‑induced affective disorders necessitates a scalable, transdisciplinary framework integrating micronutrient supplementation, cognitive‑behavioral intervention modules, and robust health‑information system analytics to achieve measurable outcomes.