By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — Development leaders, mental health advocates and civil society groups have warned that Nigeria is paying a social price for raising boys to suppress their emotions, calling for greater investment in boys’ and men’s mental health.

The warning came at a national conversation convened by Boys Champions Foundation in partnership with Oxfam in Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria, which brought together the country directors of Oxfam, ActionAid and CARE International around an issue participants said has long been overlooked in development and public policy discussions.

Speaking at the Abuja gathering, themed “Breaking the Silence: Investing in Boys’ and Men’s Mental Health for Stronger Families,” Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Boys Champions Foundation, Noel Ifeanyi Alumona, said the country could no longer afford to ignore the emotional wellbeing of boys.

“We cannot keep building strong families while ignoring how boys feel,” he said.

“When we invest in a boy’s mental health, we are investing in safer homes and a more stable society.”

The event drew 106 participants from across the country, including development practitioners, youth advocates, community stakeholders and mental health campaigners.

Welcoming participants, Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Dr Andrew Mamedu, stressed the need to create spaces where boys can speak openly about their challenges rather than hide them.

Country Director of Oxfam in Nigeria, Tijani Ahmed Hamza, said efforts to challenge harmful social norms help both boys and girls and contribute to healthier families and communities.

Delivering the keynote address, Executive Director of the Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in Nigerian Society, CWEENS, Professor Oluwafunmilayo Para-Mallam, described boys’ mental health as one of the most overlooked issues in development work today.

Drawing on her experience in communities affected by conflict, she said poverty, violence and family instability continue to take a heavy toll on the emotional wellbeing of many boys.

She called for practical measures, including mental health education in schools, stronger mentorship structures and easier access to professional support services.

The conversation widened beyond individual wellbeing to the broader social consequences of boys’ mental health during a panel discussion featuring Country Director of CARE International Nigeria, Dr Hussaini Abdu; Development and Policy Specialist at One Acre Fund, Ruth Okafor; and spoken-word artist and member of the Boys Champions Youth Advisory Board, Temiloluwa Bolawole.

The panellists rejected suggestions that support for boys comes at the expense of support for girls, arguing that helping boys develop healthy ways of expressing and managing their emotions contributes to safer homes, stronger relationships and less violence in communities.

Participants also shared experiences from their communities, highlighting the pressures many boys face and the cultural expectations that often discourage them from speaking out or seeking help.

The event ended with a joint call on families, schools, community leaders and policymakers to take boys’ mental health more seriously and prioritise measures that support emotional wellbeing.

Among the recommendations were the introduction of social and emotional learning in schools, the expansion of mentorship programmes and the creation of safe spaces where boys can talk openly about their experiences.

Boys Champions Foundation said the discussions and recommendations from the gathering would help shape its future advocacy and programme activities as it seeks to keep boys’ mental health on the national agenda.