…Nigeria’s Mental Health Crisis Demands a New Media Narrative: Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) Equips Journalists and Creatives with Life-Saving Reporting Standards on World Suicide Prevention Day
Lagos, Nigeria, September 26, 2025 – In a direct and urgent response to the damaging and often fatal effects of sensationalised media coverage, the Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI), Africa’s largest youth-led mental health organisation, is spearheading a critical national shift in suicide reporting. To mark World Suicide Prevention Day 2025, MANI hosted a high-impact media engagement summit, “Responsible Suicide Reporting & Storytelling: Changing the Narrative to Save Lives.”
The three-hour event convened over 60 of Nigeria’s most influential journalists, editors, broadcasters, scriptwriters, and digital content creators. Participants were equipped with practical, WHO-aligned tools to replace harmful reporting, such as the use of graphic details and stigmatising language like “commit suicide” with compassionate, stigma-free, and prevention-focused narratives.
Motunrayo Balogun, Operations Manager and MANI Spokesperson, spoke forcefully about the media’s profound responsibility in the crisis: “Sensational headlines and triggering language are not just irresponsible; they are a public health danger that actively discourages Nigerians from seeking help. The media has the power to either fuel the stigma or become a frontline defence against it. Today, MANI partnered with these powerful storytellers to ensure that every word, script, and broadcast from here on out guides people toward hope, dignity, and life-saving resources.”
MANI positioned the training as an essential intervention, delivering a curriculum focused on ethical reporting, global best practices, and a Rewrite Workshop where harmful Nigerian headlines and scripts were constructively reframed.
The urgency of the session was reflected in the commitments made by participants, underscoring the shift in professional perspective; according to Onajite Atirene, Head of News, Yanga Fm, stated, “This workshop was a powerful wake-up call. We learned that as media professionals, we have a mandate to lead with empathy, not sensationalism. Our language must heal, not harm. This is a standard we must all adopt immediately.”
Andrew Milestone, Script Writer, affirmed the training’s impact: “Before today, I understood the power of words, but this workshop showed me how just one wrong word can trigger harmful responses in society. The way we frame stories matters; we can either fuel stigma or help drive positive change. I plan to be much more intentional in my narratives going forward.”
The initiative is a crucial step forward as MANI works to professionalise mental health advocacy in Nigeria. MANI sustained this momentum by distributing a Suicide Reporting Quick Guide and helpline cards to participants, with a clear commitment to continue engaging media professionals nationwide until ethical standards are the norm.
About The Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative
The Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) is Africa’s largest youth-led mental health organisation. MANI is recognised as the definitive voice for youth mental health in Nigeria, dedicated to raising awareness, providing immediate support, and creating safe spaces for conversations around mental wellness. Through nationwide campaigns, its active crisis helplines, school programs, and community interventions, MANI has reached millions of Nigerians with life-saving mental health advocacy.
Media Contact
Abiodun Oguntola
Executive Director, MANI
A.oguntola@mentallyaware.org
+2347032343528
