Investing in psychology and mental health can turn human capital into ‘mental wealth’, accelerate national growth and reimburse Nigeria for the N1.2 billion in lost potential and revenues each year.
Speaking at the 55th inaugural lecture of Nasarawa State University Keffi, ‘From Mental Health to National Wealth: Psychology as a National Development Imperative,’ Professor Emmaneul Alhassan stated that people’s mental health is closely related to the growth, prosperity, and wealth (or lack thereof) of countries.
Alhassan said beyond the visible indicators like roads, bridges, GDP growth rates, and stock market indices, the often-invisible psychological wellbeing of citizens is at the foundational core of its national development.
The don said Nigeria’s mental health landscape remains overshadowed by a high prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders, low service utilisation, profound stigma, insufficient financing, and a drastic shortage of trained staff.
According to Alhassan, between 20 and 30 per cent of Nigerians are likely to experience a diagnosable mental disorder in their lifetime, but roughly 80 per cent of Nigerians living with a mental health condition do not receive any formal care.
‘Underfunding of the mental health sector exacerbates the situation: only around 3.3-4 per cent of Nigeria’s total health expenditure is allocated to mental health, which is grossly insufficient given the scale of need,’ he added.
Professor Alhassan decried the extremely low psychologist-to-population ratio in Nigeria, put at approximately one psychologist to every 180,000 Nigerians, illustrating the severe shortage in Nigeria’s mental health workforce.
According to him, ‘Urgent policy action is therefore required to expand training programmes, increase recruitment, and institutionalise psychologist positions across federal, state, and local government structures to ensure equitable access to psychological services.
‘Psychology, therefore, must be elevated from a clinical afterthought to a central imperative in our national development agenda. Psychology, the scientific study of mind and behaviour, serves as the bridge, offering tools to cultivate this capital.
‘Planning for national development has historically emphasised physical infrastructure, frequently overlooking the essential psychological and mental health aspects that are fundamental to societal well-being and productivity.
‘Integrating mental health into development planning is no longer optional but an imperative for Nigeria’s aspirations to reach middle-income status and attain the SDGs.
‘Untreated mental disorders could shrink our economy by 3.5-5 per cent annually, mirroring the lockdown projections but amplified by ongoing economic hardships.
‘The evidence is overwhelming: a nation cannot prosper if its people are psychologically impoverished. We understand the cost of inaction – a N1.2 trillion Naira loss annually in lost earnings and potential. We know that neglecting psychological well-being risks entrenching cycles of poverty and social unrest.
‘Roads, bridges, and oil wells may build a nation’s body, but it is the mind that builds its soul and sustains its wealth. The time has come to move from mental health to mental wealth, from neglect to investment, and from silence to action. The concept of ‘mental wealth’ suggests a paradigm shift: psychological well-being is not a cost but an asset, akin to money, which must be spent wisely, invested, and protected.’