Pioneering Mental Health Access and Advocacy Across Nigeria


By Adesua Okonkwo

In a society where mental health is often overlooked or shrouded in stigma, Abimbola Olufemi has become a defining voice for change. As a practicing counselor and mental health professional, she has carved a distinct path, one marked by relentless advocacy, direct community engagement, and policy influence that continues to reshape the landscape of psychological care in Nigeria.

Olufemi’s work this year stood out not merely for its breadth, but for its depth.

Through her leadership, several community-based mental health outreach programs were launched in Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna states, reaching over 15,000 individuals in rural and peri-urban communities. These programs, facilitated in collaboration with public health centers and civil society organizations, delivered critical services: trauma counseling, depression screening, stress management workshops, and family therapy sessions, resources that had previously been out of reach for many.

What makes Olufemi’s approach so groundbreaking is her ability to balance grassroots mobilization with institutional influence. While actively offering hands-on counseling services in marginalized areas, she has also been a visible force in shaping the national conversation on mental health. In 2019, she worked closely with the Federal Ministry of Health on recommendations for integrating mental wellness into Nigeria’s Universal Health Coverage framework. Her efforts contributed to the drafting of position papers that informed key legislative discussions on mental health reform.

Beyond policy, Olufemi focused intensely on destigmatization. Recognizing that fear and shame often keep people from seeking help, she launched the “It’s Okay to Ask” campaign, an awareness movement that brought mental health conversations into schools, churches, and the media. The campaign featured relatable stories and culturally sensitive messaging, encouraging open dialogue and positioning mental health as a critical component of community wellbeing.

Her work extended to training and capacity building. In 2019 alone, she organized four mental health first aid training sessions for teachers, law enforcement personnel, and youth leaders. These workshops were designed to equip non-clinical community figures with the tools to identify early signs of mental distress and offer immediate support or referrals.

The impact was tangible. In one pilot community in Ibadan, local officials reported a 60% increase in early intervention cases and a notable decrease in instances of domestic violence linked to untreated mental illness.

Professionals across Nigeria’s health sector have taken note. “Abimbola Olufemi is doing what many said couldn’t be done, bringing mental health care into spaces where it has long been absent,” remarked Dr. Ibrahim Lawal, a psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Aro. “Her work is practical, people-centered, and rooted in the cultural realities we face.”

As the year closes, Olufemi’s reputation as one of the nation’s most dedicated mental health advocates is firmly established. Her work isn’t just about expanding access—it’s about building a sustainable mental health ecosystem, one where awareness, access, and acceptance coexist.

Abimbola Olufemi has proven that with the right combination of compassion, expertise, and courage, even the most entrenched public health challenges can be met head-on. And in doing so, she has become more than a counselor, she has become a catalyst.