Lagos Introduces Unified Mental Health Providers Directory, Targets Better Care, Accountability
The Lagos State Government has launched the Lagos State Mental Health Directory (LSMHD) —an unprecedented, centralised, and Ministry-led registry designed to unify and verify mental-health information across the state.
The initiative aims to address longstanding barriers to access, coordination, and timely help-seeking for mental-health patients. The directory is being coordinated by the Head of Special Projects and Mental Health at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Tolu Ajomale.
Officially known as the Lagos Community of Mental Health Providers (LCP) Directory, the platform offers a single, real-time hub where residents, healthcare professionals, and policymakers can easily identify credible mental-health providers, their locations, areas of specialisation, and levels of accessibility.
Speaking during the launch held on Saturday at the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Alausa, Ikeja, Dr. Ajomale described the directory as a tool that “replaces confusion with clarity, isolation with collaboration, and misinformation with accountability.”
He explained that the LCP Directory accommodates both clinical and non-clinical contributors to mental wellbeing, including psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, therapists, NGOs, digital-health innovators, research institutions, community groups, support networks, and diaspora providers offering virtual services.
Highlighting the platform’s core benefits, Dr. Ajomale pointed to improved access to credible mental-health resources, enhanced visibility for providers, strengthened referral systems, and robust support for research, planning, and policy implementation. He said the directory also creates an enabling environment for partnerships, innovation, and mental-health system development across the state.
Dr. Ajomale announced the official opening of the registration portals—www.lagosmind.org/providers and www.bit.ly/ileraokan—encouraging practitioners and organisations to join the verified network. He emphasised that registration is free and follows a multi-step verification process to ensure safety, accuracy, and compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act.
He also outlined the benefits available to registered providers, including increased visibility, stronger referral pathways, access to collaboration opportunities, and formal recognition as part of Lagos State’s official mental-health ecosystem. Registered members will also receive periodic updates, training opportunities, and invitations to research engagements.
Dr. Ajomale added that the data-driven platform will support emergency preparedness and enable seamless integration of mental health into primary healthcare.
He assured stakeholders that sensitive data will remain protected and that providers will have the ability to update their profiles as necessary, subject to re-verification. He urged practitioners and residents to take full advantage of the new directory.
