Lagos State has unveiled its first unified directory of mental-health service providers, a move the government says will streamline access to credible care and improve coordination within the State’s mental-health system.
The platform, known as the Lagos Community of Mental Health Providers (LCP) Directory, was launched yesterday at the Ministry of Health, Alausa, Ikeja, under the supervision of the Head, Special Projects and Mental Health, Dr. Tolu Ajomale.
Dr. Ajomale described the directory as a “historic and system-shaping milestone” designed to end years of fragmented information, guesswork, and reliance on unverified sources by residents seeking support.
Lagos, he said, hosts the country’s largest concentration of mental-health practitioners but has long lacked a central, verified database to guide help-seeking.
He said the directory will serve as a trusted, real-time platform through which residents, families, health workers, NGOs, development partners, and policymakers can identify credible mental-health providers, their areas of expertise, and their locations.
“This platform replaces confusion with clarity and misinformation with accountability,” he said.
The initiative aligns with the Lagos State Mental Health Law (2018) and the THEMES+ Agenda and is central to the government’s broader effort to strengthen primary healthcare and expand access to mental-health services.
The LCP Directory captures clinical and non-clinical actors including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, therapists, NGOs, digital-health innovators, support groups, research institutions, and diaspora-based providers offering virtual care.
Dr. Ajomale said the inclusion of diverse practitioners reflects Lagos’ commitment to recognising all contributors to mental wellbeing.
He listed improved public access to verified resources, enhanced provider visibility, stronger referral systems, and better planning and policy development among the benefits of the platform.
The directory, he added, will also give the government a data-driven view of workforce distribution, service gaps, and emergency-response needs.
Registration is open free on www.lagosmind.org/providers and www.bit.ly/ileraokan. Applicants will undergo a multi-step verification process in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act. Dr. Ajomale urged all mental-health practitioners and organisations to register, noting that providers stand to gain from visibility, collaboration opportunities, and periodic training and research engagements.
He said Lagos’ dense population and urban pressures contribute to a high mental-health burden, yet many residents still depend on unverified sources, putting them at risk of unsafe referrals.
The new directory, he assured, will allow users to search for services by LGA, specialty, cost, language, or accessibility.
The public-facing version of the directory will go live after the first round of registration and verification.
Dr. Ajomale appealed to hospitals, NGOs, private practitioners, digital-health platforms, community groups, and diaspora providers to participate in what he called “a transformative step toward a connected and responsive mental-health ecosystem.”