Psychiatrists call for higher mental health research funding

Summary

Psychiatrists at a conference in Lagos urged the Federal Government to increase funding for mental health research, saying current allocations are too low.

Highlights

• At the 9th International Yaba Research Conference 2026, the experts called for at least 2.5% of the health research budget to go to mental health research.
• They said Nigeria’s current allocation is 0.1% and argued it is insufficient for the country’s research needs.
• The psychiatrists also urged African governments to fund more locally relevant mental health research and ensure findings feed into public policy.
• They warned that heavy dependence on foreign funding can push research toward external priorities rather than African needs.
• The conference theme was “Mental Health Research at the Crossroads – Challenges, Policies and Reforms in Africa.”