FRSC Boss, Experts to Drive Youth Mental Health Push at Vanguard Summit

Lagos — Policymakers, leading health professionals and public safety officials will converge in Lagos on Friday, October 9, for the fourth Vanguard Mental Health Summit, shifting national attention to the mental health pressures facing young Nigerians in an increasingly digital world.

Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, will chair the high-level gathering at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island. The event carries the theme “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria” and the sub-theme “Mental Health in a Digital Age: Navigating Social Media, Technology and Wellbeing.”

Mohammed’s role underscores the growing recognition that mental health intersects with public safety. Discussions will examine substance use, addiction, trauma, early intervention and access to care, areas that frequently spill into road safety and broader behavioural risks among young people. His participation also reflects the FRSC’s own recent emphasis on stress management and emotional wellbeing for law-enforcement personnel.

The summit builds on the third edition held in 2025, which focused on suicide prevention and the need for stronger systems of care and support. Vanguard has tracked progress on the decriminalisation of attempted suicide. In August and September 2026, the Federal Executive Council approved steps to amend the National Mental Health Act and remove criminal penalties for attempted suicide, shifting the response from punishment to treatment and support. The reform is expected to advance through the National Assembly.

This year’s edition places young people, digital technology and wellbeing at the centre while retaining the summit’s practical focus. Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, is the Chief Host. Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), are Special Guests of Honour.

Government officials, psychiatrists, medical practitioners, academics, civil society groups, development partners, private-sector representatives, youth organisations and the media will examine how Nigeria can strengthen its response. Organisers stress the need to move beyond awareness campaigns toward better access to care, early intervention, supportive families and schools, safer digital environments and policies that produce concrete results.

Key sessions will address the influence of social media and technology on young people’s mental health, including cyberbullying, online pressure, misinformation, social comparison, digital addiction and isolation. Stigma, barriers to help-seeking, substance use, rehabilitation and the shared responsibilities of families, schools, communities, government, healthcare providers, the media and technology platforms will also feature.

Dr Veronica Nyamali, President of the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria, will deliver the keynote address on “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria.” Nigeria Medical Association President Prof. Omoti Ernest will speak on “Making Youth Mental Health Everyone’s Business: From Policy to Practice.”

A virtual presentation by Dr Daniel Ikpechukwu, a substance abuse and behavioural health counsellor based in Georgia, USA, will examine “Youth Drug Addiction and the Justice System: Advancing Treatment, Rehabilitation and Recovery in Nigeria.” Dr Oluwafemi Oluwatayo, Chief Executive Officer of The Retreat Hospital, Ikorodu, will present and demonstrate Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation treatment for depression and anxiety disorders.

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Other speakers include Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, Continental Representative for LifeLine International, on “Mental Health As Our Social Capital,” and Prof. Mashudat Bello-Mojeed, Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health, on “Protecting Young Minds in the Age of Social Media.”

A panel discussion moderated by Dr Ayantunde Ayankola, Senior Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist at the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, will tackle the question: “Who is responsible for the Mental Health of Young People?” The session will explore shared accountability across families, schools, communities, healthcare systems, government, the media, technology platforms and young people themselves. A performance by the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts of Lagos State University of Education will also form part of the programme.

Organised by Vanguard Media Limited, the fourth summit aims to provide a platform for stakeholders to translate concern into stronger prevention systems, earlier identification of problems and reliable support for young people when they need it.