Lagos State today strengthened its leadership in mental-health reform with the launch of the Lagos State Mental Health Directory, an unprecedented, Ministry-led, centralised registry of all mental-health providers across the State. The platform, officially known as the Lagos Community of Mental Health Providers (LCP) Directory was unveiled at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Alausa-Ikeja, under the coordination of the Head, Special Projects and Mental Health, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Tolu Ajomale.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Ajomale said the directory marks a “historic and system-shaping milestone” in Lagos State’s commitment to improving access, reducing stigma, and strengthening coordination within its fast-expanding mental-health ecosystem. He emphasised that, despite Lagos being home to Nigeria’s largest concentration of mental-health practitioners, the absence of a unified, verified information hub has long hindered access and timely help-seeking.

Dr. Ajomale explained that the new directory directly addresses these gaps by providing a single, trusted, real-time platform where residents, families, health workers, development partners, and policymakers can identify credible mental-health providers, their locations, areas of expertise, and accessibility. “This platform replaces confusion with clarity, isolation with collaboration, and misinformation with accountability,” he noted.

The directory, he added, aligns with the Lagos State Mental Health Law (2018), the THEMES+ Agenda, and the Ministry’s broader public health and primary healthcare strengthening strategies. He described it as a major step toward consolidating the State’s leadership in mental-health reform and ensuring that every Lagosian can find help safely, reliably, and promptly.

According to Dr. Ajomale, the LCP Directory captures both clinical and non-clinical actors, including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, therapists, NGOs, digital health innovators, research institutions, community groups, support networks, and diaspora providers offering virtual services. This inclusive scope, he said, reflects the State’s commitment to recognising all contributors to mental wellbeing.

He listed improved access to credible resources, enhanced visibility for providers, strengthened referral systems, and support for research, planning, and policy implementation among the platform’s core benefits. According to him, the directory also establishes a more coordinated environment for partnership, innovation, and mental-health system development.

Dr. Ajomale announced that registration is officially open via www.lagosmind.org/providers and www.bit.ly/ileraokan, urging all practitioners and organisations to join the verified network. He stressed that registration is completely free and subject to a multi-step verification process to ensure safety, accuracy, and compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act.

He further revealed that providers and organisations stand to gain significantly from increased visibility, stronger referral pathways, access to collaboration opportunities, and recognition as part of Lagos State’s official mental-health ecosystem. Periodic updates, training opportunities, and research engagements will also be extended to registered members.

Highlighting the public-health rationale, Dr. Ajomale noted that Lagos, because of its dense population and urban pressures, carries a disproportionate share of Nigeria’s mental-health burden. Yet, residents often rely on unverified sources, guesswork, or social media for help, putting them at risk of unsafe or inappropriate service referral.

He emphasised that the new directory will help Lagosians navigate crises, locate services based on LGA, cost, specialty, language, or accessibility, and reduce misinformation. “For the first time, Lagosians will have a central, reliable gateway to mental-health care,” he said.

The directory will also support government planning by enabling real-time mapping of workforce distribution, service availability, and emerging gaps in the system. Dr. Ajomale said this data-driven approach will further strengthen emergency preparedness and mental-health integration into primary healthcare.

He assured practitioners that sensitive information would remain protected and that providers will be able to update their profiles as needed, subject to re-verification. The public-facing version of the directory will go live after the first round of registration and verification is completed.

In closing, Dr. Ajomale described the directory as “a transformative step toward a connected, responsive, and inclusive mental-health ecosystem for Lagos State,” calling on all stakeholders, including hospitals, NGOs, therapists, counsellors, digital platforms, community groups, and diaspora practitioners, to register and participate in what he termed “a landmark solution for the wellbeing of our people.”

He reiterated that the Lagos State Ministry of Health remains fully committed to mental-health reform and will continue to deploy innovative systems that strengthen trust, safety, collaboration, and access for all residents.

For enquiries, registration assistance, or technical support, Dr. Ajomale directed providers and the public to contact the Lagos State Ministry of Health Mental Health Desk via providers@lagosmind.org or telephone 0700 000 6463 and 0201 410 6463.

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