By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, is expected to lead policymakers, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders at the fourth Vanguard Mental Health Summit in Lagos.

The summit, scheduled for Friday, October 9, 2026, at the Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos, will focus on the mental health challenges facing young Nigerians.

As chairman of the summit, Mohammed is expected to bring a public safety perspective to discussions on issues including substance use, addiction, trauma, early intervention and access to mental healthcare.

His participation will also draw attention to the relationship between mental health challenges and public safety, particularly where substance use, trauma and risky behaviour affect young people.

The fourth edition of the Vanguard Mental Health Summit follows the 2025 edition, which focused largely on suicide prevention and the need to strengthen mental health support and intervention systems in Nigeria.

This year’s summit will place greater emphasis on young people and the effects of technology and digital platforms on their wellbeing.

Vanguard Media Limited, organisers of the event, said the summit is intended to move discussions about youth mental health beyond awareness campaigns and towards practical action.

Participants are expected to examine access to appropriate mental healthcare, early intervention, supportive family and school environments, safer digital spaces and policies capable of addressing the mental health needs of young people.

The influence of social media and technology will be a major part of the discussions. Topics are expected to include cyberbullying, online pressure, misinformation, social comparison, digital addiction and social isolation.

The summit will also consider the challenges created by stigma and the difficulties many people face when seeking mental health support. Substance use, rehabilitation and recovery will also feature prominently.

Expected participants include government officials, psychiatrists, medical professionals, academics, civil society organisations, development partners, private sector representatives, youth groups and members of the media.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, is expected to serve as chief host, while the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, and the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Buba Marwa, are listed as special guests of honour.

The President of the Association of Psychiatrists of Nigeria, Dr Veronica Nyamali, will deliver the keynote address titled “Advancing Youth Mental Health in Nigeria.”

The President of the Nigeria Medical Association, Prof. Omoti Ernest, will also speak on “Making Youth Mental Health Everyone’s Business: From Policy to Practice.”

Another presentation will focus on youth drug addiction and the justice system. Dr Daniel Ikpechukwu, a substance abuse and behavioural health counsellor and treatment provider based in Georgia, United States, will address “Youth Drug Addiction and the Justice System: Advancing Treatment, Rehabilitation and Recovery in Nigeria.”

Dr Oluwafemi Oluwatayo, Chief Executive Officer of The Retreat Hospital in Ikorodu, Lagos, is expected to deliver a presentation and demonstration on Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a treatment used in managing conditions including depression and anxiety disorders.

Other speakers include Prof. Taiwo Lateef Sheikh, Continental Representative for LifeLine International, who will discuss “Mental Health As Our Social Capital.”

Prof. Mashudat Bello-Mojeed, Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health, will also speak on “Protecting Young Minds in the Age of Social Media.”

A major part of the summit will be a panel discussion examining the question, “Who is responsible for the mental health of young people?”

The discussion will explore the roles of families, schools, communities, healthcare providers, government, the media, technology companies and young people themselves in promoting better mental health.

The session will be moderated by Dr Ayantunde Ayankola, a Senior Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist at the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.

The event will also feature a performance by the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts of Lagos State University of Education (LASUED).

Organisers expect the summit to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss practical ways of preventing mental health problems among young people, identifying concerns early and improving access to appropriate care and support.

The discussions will also seek to highlight the need for stronger systems that can respond to the changing mental health challenges associated with an increasingly digital society.