Experts have highlighted that the non-implementation of Nigeria's Mental Health Act is significantly impacting the country’s ability to attract foreign donors to invest in its health sector. Professor Afis Agboola, the Provost and Medical Director of the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta, expressed these concerns during a budget session held by the House of Representatives Committee on Specialty Healthcare. He emphasized that without the operational execution of the law, which outlines the structure and responsibilities for mental health care, the prospects for improving mental health services remain bleak.

The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital has been forced to rely heavily on its own resources, spending almost N1 billion on treating abandoned patients, a situation that Professor Agboola categorizes as unsustainable. He pointed out that many patients are left without care due to the lack of implementation of the Mental Health Act, which was designed to address such issues. The near-total lack of execution is undermining progress in mental health care, jeopardizing not only patient welfare but also the potential for broader healthcare improvements in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the implications of this inaction extend beyond immediate patient care; it potentially limits the country's healthcare funding prospects. Foreign donors, observing Nigeria’s failure to enact effective healthcare laws, are likely to be hesitant in committing financial resources, thereby exacerbating the crisis in mental health services. If the situation remains unchanged, the healthcare sector may continue to suffer setbacks, hindering Nigeria's overall development in health service delivery.