Medical Director, Psychiatrist-in-Chief, and leading mental-health advocate  Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri  became the first African psychiatrist to perform the prestigious closing gong ceremony on October 10, 2025, as Nigeria joined the world in commemorating World Mental Health Day at the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX).

Speaking at the event, Dr. Kadiri emphasized that mental health should be treated as part of Nigeria’s national infrastructure—just like roads, education, and power supply.

She said…

That gong was not just ending a trading day, it was beginning a new conversation; one that Nigeria has avoided for too long: our mental health. Behind every stock ticker is a person, and behind every person is a mind that must stay healthy for the economy to thrive.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 20 percent of Nigerians live with mental-health challenges, yet fewer than 10 percent ever receive help.

We say ‘na small stress’ when it’s anxiety, or ‘na village people’ when it’s depression,” she lamented; and added

Unhealed trauma weakens productivity, family stability, and national growth. A tired workforce is an under-performing economy. You can’t build a thriving nation with broken people.

Dr. Kadiri, who leads Pinnacle Medical Services, highlighted the link between workforce productivity and emotional wellness, reinforcing that mental-health investment is key to national progress.

She also challenged the cultural stigma and societal silence surrounding mental health, urging Nigerians to see therapy and rest as necessities rather than luxuries.

We have turned ‘I’m fine’ into a national anthem, even when we’re silently breaking.

Therapy isn’t for the elite; it’s for everyone.

Rest is not laziness even phones overheat,” she added.

Nkeiruka Onyeukwu

Abuja, Nigeria