On Thursday, September 18, 2025, Governor Uba Sani signed the Kaduna State Mental Health Law 2023, a move described as a new chapter of compassion, dignity, and care for citizens struggling with mental health challenges.
Hikaya Newspaper reports that with this, Kaduna joins the frontline states in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive law dedicated to mental health care.
The law provides for the creation of a new Mental Health Services Department under KADSAMHSA to design state policies, oversee treatment centers, and ensure compliance with care standards. It also prohibits inhumane practices against people with mental health conditions, such as chaining, while guaranteeing their human rights, access to care in local government hospitals and health centers, and protection against discrimination in employment and housing.
Following the signing, the Director-General of KADSAMHSA, Joseph O. Ike, disclosed that Governor Sani directed the agency to prioritize mental health care for women, especially pregnant women, as well as youth and children across the state. He noted that the initiative would help reduce maternal and infant mortality while expanding services for young people.
Health advocates and experts described the law as a historic reform that shifts attitudes and systems showing that people with mental health conditions should not be hidden but supported to live meaningful lives. The law is expected to take effect in 2025 after training of health workers, rehabilitation of facilities, and the rollout of new programs, setting Kaduna as a model for other Nigerian states.