About 50 Million Nigerians Living With Mental Health Issues

Lagos, Nigeria – Nigerian women have been advised to equip themselves with the relevant tools to help them navigate daily pressure effectively.

This was part of the discussions at a Women’s Health and Personal Effectiveness Conference organized by top retailer, FoodCo, to commemorate International Women’s Day 2025.

In her opening address, Funmi Aiyepeku, Chief Commercial Officer of the company, emphasized the pivotal role women play in building sustainable societies. She said: “Women are the bedrock of society given the critical roles they play in both birthing and nurturing the future generation. But beyond these, and the historic setbacks against them, they have also established themselves as change-makers, innovators, business leaders and home-makers. As a family brand, we recognize the many roles women juggle every day. That is why we organized this seminar to support them firstly, in their quest for personal fulfillment and, secondly, to function effectively in the roles they occupy.”

In her presentation, Dr. Nneka Asuai Iyonmahan, a medical officer at Reliance Health, emphasized the need for greater awareness and proactiveness in addressing the mental needs of women in Nigeria.

She stated: “The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that one in four Nigerians suffer from some type of mental health issue but help is often hampered by budget constraints and lack of skilled staff. This state of affair affects women especially because, as traditional caregivers and nurturers, they also face modern socio-economic demands. Many end up putting others first and neglecting their own needs. This is why today’s woman must build resilience by taking small intentional steps, setting realistic goals, celebrating achievements, prioritizing self-care, and nurturing positive relationships to maintain emotional and mental well-being.”

Temilade Ogunniyi, a career development strategist, counselled women to look beyond productivity in defining personal or professional success, and embrace values in positive mindset shifts, leadership, healthy relationships, and resilience.

According to her: “Women play a vital role in driving progress, and personal effectiveness is key to ensuring that they thrive in their careers. It’s about building the right habits through clear, actionable steps. Small wins create lasting impact, consistency matters more than intensity and adapting to change is essential for success. By mastering one principle at a time and turning ideas into habits, women can thrive, break barriers, and lead with confidence.”

FoodCo is a diversified consumer goods company with interests in retail, quick service restaurants, manufacturing and entertainment. The company operates the largest supermarket chain brand in south-west Nigeria and has been listed in the Financial Times list of Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies for 2021 and 2022.