The fourth Vanguard Mental Health Summit opened on Friday, 9 October, at the Civic Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos, gathering leading psychiatrists, public‑health specialists and advocates to address the growing mental‑health crisis among young Nigerians. Organisers aim to push for earlier intervention, wider service access and stronger support networks.
**What will the summit focus on?**
The event, themed “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria” with the sub‑theme “Mental Health in a Digital Age: Navigating Social Media, Technology and Wellbeing,” will examine how substance misuse, online pressures, social isolation, family dynamics and limited professional care intersect for the nation’s youth.
Key speakers include Dr. Veronica Oluyemisi Nyamali, President of the [Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Association_of_Psychiatrists_in_Nigeria) and chief consultant at the [Federal Neuro‑Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Neuro-Psychiatric_Hospital,_Yaba), who will discuss mental‑health care, addiction and suicide prevention. Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, professor of psychiatry and psychopharmacology at [Ahmadu Bello University](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmadu_Bello_University) and former president of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, will share insights on suicide prevention and policy advocacy.
Prof. Mashudat Bello‑Mojeed, a child psychiatrist from the Federal Neuro‑Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, will address child and adolescent mental health, while Prof. Afekhide Ernest Omoti, the 33rd president of the Nigerian Medical Association, will provide a broader health‑system perspective.
The addiction segment will feature Dr. Daniel Ikpechukwu, a US‑based substance‑abuse counsellor, and Dr. Ayantunde Kayode Ayankola, senior consultant psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, focusing on drug‑related treatment and rehabilitation.
A panel comprising Dr. Tolu Ajomale, Director of Special Projects and Mental Health at the [Lagos State Ministry of Health](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagos_State_Ministry_of_Health), psychiatrists Dr. Olufunmilayo Akinola and Dr. Olufemi Oluwatayo, legal practitioner Ayo Adebusoye of the Nigeria Network of NGOs, and mental‑health advocate Deborah Omage will deliberate on policy gaps and lived‑experience solutions. Dr. Ayankola will serve as the lead panelist.
The summit seeks to catalyse concrete steps toward reducing youth mental‑health burdens, emphasizing the need for coordinated action across government, professional bodies and civil society.