Free Nigerian crisis lines you can call at any hour — plus how to tell a real emergency from a scare, and what to do tonight.
In a mental health emergency in Nigeria, if anyone is in immediate danger, call 112 now (767 in Lagos) or go to the nearest hospital. To talk to someone right now, call Safe Place Nigeria on 0800 800 2000: it’s toll-free and answered 24 hours a day. Lagos Lifeline also answers at any hour on 0700 000 6463, or on WhatsApp at 0909 000 6463, for callers anywhere in Nigeria. You do not have to handle this alone, and help is available this minute.
Call these numbers now
Tap a number to dial.
If someone is in immediate danger:
To talk to someone, at any hour:
- Safe Place Nigeria: 0800 800 2000 (toll-free, 24 hours)
- Lagos Lifeline: 0700 000 6463 (toll-free) or 0201 410 6463, 24 hours. WhatsApp: 0909 000 6463. Open to anyone in Nigeria, not only Lagos.
- SURPIN (Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative): 0800 078 7746 (toll-free, 24 hours)
On weekdays, 9am to 5pm:
- MANI (Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative): 0809 111 6264. WhatsApp: 0916 841 7413
Calls are confidential, though some lines say they may contact emergency services if someone’s life is in immediate danger. If a line is busy, try another. For the full list, checked against each organisation’s own website, see our helplines directory.
What counts as a mental health emergency?
Treat it as an emergency if you — or someone near you — are facing any of these:
- Suicidal thoughts with a plan, or a feeling that you might act on them
- Self-harm, or a strong urge to hurt yourself
- An overdose or poisoning of any kind
- Psychosis — losing touch with reality, or hearing and seeing things others don’t
- Feeling unsafe to yourself or to other people
If any of these apply, don’t wait to see how the night goes. Call a number above, and read more on coping with suicidal thoughts once you’re safe.
What to do right now, tonight
- Stay on the line. Call a helpline and keep talking. You don’t have to explain everything — just stay connected.
- Don’t be alone. Call one person you trust and ask them to come to you, or to stay on the phone with you.
- Make your surroundings safer. Put away anything you could use to harm yourself, or ask someone you trust to hold on to it for now.
- Get to a hospital. Head to the nearest accident & emergency (A&E) unit or teaching-hospital emergency room.
- Breathe. If your thoughts are racing, slow your breathing while help is on the way.
If self-harm is part of what’s happening, our guide on self-harm and getting help explains the next steps.
Suggested read: Suicide Prevention: How to Ask the Question
If it’s someone else in crisis
- Ask directly: “Are you thinking of ending your life?” Naming it does not plant the idea — it gives the person room to be honest.
- Take every threat seriously, even one that sounds casual or like a joke.
- Stay with them. Don’t leave them alone, even briefly.
- Remove anything they could use to hurt themselves.
- Help them call a crisis line or get to a hospital.
- Reassure without promising secrecy. Say you’ll keep them safe — not that you’ll keep it hidden.
For what to say, see how to ask someone about suicide. For the longer view, see how to support a loved one.
Where to go for emergency care in Nigeria
Nigeria has about nine federal neuropsychiatric hospitals, including Yaba in Lagos, Aro in Abeokuta, and Kaduna. The hospitals in Yaba and Kaduna say their emergency units are open 24 hours, and our helplines directory lists their numbers. If none is near you, go to the A&E unit of the nearest general or teaching hospital.
One practical note: ambulances are slow to arrive in many parts of the country, so getting to hospital directly — by car, taxi, or ride-hail — is often the fastest route. Use 112 or 767 for police or ambulance dispatch if you have no other way to move.
Panic attack or emergency? How to tell
A panic attack is frightening — a pounding heart, tight chest, and a sense of doom — but it usually peaks and eases within about 20 minutes and is not dangerous on its own.
Go to A&E if:
- Chest pain, fainting, or trouble breathing carries on
- You notice stroke-like signs: face drooping, weakness on one side, slurred speech
- You can’t be sure it isn’t a heart problem
While you wait, try grounding: name five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear. Our guide on handling a panic attack walks through more.
Will I get in trouble for seeking help?
Asking for help is not a crime. The people who answer crisis lines and work in hospital emergency units are there to help you.
You may have heard that attempted suicide is against the law in Nigeria. For now, it is still an offence, under the Criminal Code in the south, the Penal Code in the north and Abuja, and Lagos State’s own criminal law. Change is under way. In August 2026 the Federal Executive Council approved an amendment to the National Mental Health Act to decriminalise it, and in October 2026 the Senate advanced a separate bill that would do the same. Neither is law yet.
Old fears stop far too many people from picking up the phone — please don’t let them stop you. Crisis lines and hospitals are there to care for people.
After the crisis passes: ongoing support
Crisis lines exist to keep you safe tonight. They are not a replacement for the emergency services, and they are not ongoing care. Once you’re stable, the next step is follow-up — a regular therapist or counsellor who can help you build a simple safety plan and work through what led here.
Suggested read: Making a Safety Plan Before You Need It
If a doctor thinks medication could help, that’s the work of a psychiatrist — a medical doctor who can prescribe. Mytherapist.ng’s counsellors, psychologists, and therapists offer talk therapy, not prescriptions; if you’re unsure which you need, read therapy or medication.
Mytherapist.ng is not an emergency service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact emergency services — 112 nationally, or 767 in Lagos — rather than waiting for a session or a reply.
You can book a licensed Nigerian therapist for video, voice, or chat sessions; each therapist sets their own rate, shown on their profile. Learn what you’re facing on the suicidal thoughts or depression hubs, and see how to ask for help if reaching out feels hard.
Frequently asked questions
What number do I call in a mental health emergency in Nigeria? If someone is in immediate danger, call 112 (767 in Lagos) or get to the nearest hospital. To talk to someone at any hour, call Safe Place Nigeria on 0800 800 2000 (toll-free) or Lagos Lifeline on 0700 000 6463, or WhatsApp Lagos Lifeline on 0909 000 6463.
Is there a free suicide helpline in Nigeria? Yes. Safe Place Nigeria (0800 800 2000) and Lagos Lifeline (0700 000 6463) are free and answered 24 hours, and Lagos Lifeline takes calls from anywhere in Nigeria. SURPIN’s toll-free line is 0800 078 7746. MANI’s helpline, 0809 111 6264, is open on weekdays from 9am to 5pm. See our full helplines directory.
What counts as a mental health emergency? Suicidal thoughts with a plan or that you might act on, self-harm, an overdose or poisoning, psychosis or losing touch with reality, or feeling unsafe to yourself or others. If any of these apply, treat it as an emergency.
What do I do if someone tells me they want to die? Take it seriously, stay with them, and don’t leave them alone. Remove anything they could use to hurt themselves, and help them call a crisis line or get to a hospital.
Is attempted suicide a crime in Nigeria? For now, yes: it is still an offence under Nigeria’s criminal laws. In August 2026 the Federal Executive Council approved a change to decriminalise it, and in October 2026 the Senate advanced a separate bill. Neither is law yet. Asking for help is not a crime, so please don’t let this stop you or anyone else getting help.
Is a panic attack a medical emergency? Usually not — most panic attacks peak and ease within about 20 minutes. But go to A&E if chest pain, fainting, or trouble breathing persists, or if you can’t tell it apart from a heart problem.
If you need help now: if anyone is in immediate danger, call 112, or 767 in Lagos. To talk to someone at any hour, call Safe Place Nigeria on 0800 800 2000 or Lagos Lifeline on 0700 000 6463.
Suggested read: How to Check On Your Guy Friends
Browse licensed Nigerian therapists on Mytherapist.ng when you’re ready for ongoing support.
This article is awaiting clinical review. It’s based on published research and health guidelines, and we’ll update it once a clinician has reviewed it.
