Bill Sponsor: Sen. Fadahunsi, Adenigba Francis (Osun East).
Bill Progress: First Reading
The Psychiatric Hospitals Management Board Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (SB. 901), seeks to amend the existing Psychiatric Hospitals Management Board Act (Cap P34 LFN 2004) to facilitate the establishment of a new Federal Psychiatric Hospital in a designated location.
While specific details of SB. 901 are not yet publicly available, previous amendment bills aimed at the same Act—introduced in 2017, 2021, and 2023—provide insight into its goals. Primarily, these prior proposals have focused on two significant areas: the establishment of new federal psychiatric hospitals and a structural reorganization of the existing framework overseeing these institutions.
One of the key objectives of the earlier bills has been to enhance the accessibility of specialized psychiatric services and improve training for mental health professionals across Nigeria. For instance, a 2021 bill proposed to establish a Federal Psychiatric Hospital in Budo-Egba, Kwara State, illustrating the effort to create facilities in regions lacking adequate mental health infrastructure. It is anticipated that SB. 901 will follow this trajectory by proposing the location for a new federal psychiatric hospital, possibly targeting areas within Senator Fadahunsi’s constituency or another geopolitical zone that demonstrates a pressing need for such a facility.
In addition to establishing a new hospital, previous amendments have suggested a structural reorganization aimed at improving the governance and operational efficiency of psychiatric hospitals in Nigeria. For example, recommendations included creating separate boards for each psychiatric facility, which would operate under the supervision of the primary Board, as well as the inclusion of new psychiatric hospitals affiliated with federal universities.
Overall, SB. 901 represents a legislative effort to bolster the national mental healthcare infrastructure in Nigeria. The bill aims to address the longstanding challenges in mental health service delivery.
