Diaspora Star | Victor Ugo: The Mental Health Advocate Shaping Nigeria’s Future

In a country where mental health remains heavily stigmatized, Victor Ugo stands out as a beacon of hope and reform. A medical doctor turned mental health advocate, Victor is the founder of the Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) a youth-led nonprofit that is redefining how Nigerians talk about, access, and experience mental health care.

Victor Ugo earned his medical degree from the University of Benin (UNIBEN) in Nigeria. According to his LinkedIn profile, he later obtained a Master of Science (MSc) in Global Mental Health from King’s College London and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, two globally renowned institutions known for their work in health sciences and policy. This advanced training strengthened his capacity to lead mental health initiatives at both community and policy levels.

Victor’s journey into advocacy began with his own experience of depression in 2014. Despite his medical training, he struggled to recognize what he was going through a realization that deeply influenced his passion to help others facing similar challenges. “If I couldn’t see it in myself, how much harder would it be for the average person without medical knowledge?” he reflected.

This personal battle led to the birth of MANI in 2016 a safe, accessible platform offering mental health first aid, crisis support, and referrals to professionals across Nigeria.

What started as a grassroots initiative has grown into one of Africa’s most recognized mental health advocacy groups. With over 130 million social media impressions annually and more than 30,000 crisis support cases handled, MANI is now a household name for mental health support in Nigeria.

Beyond online awareness, MANI actively trains volunteers, equips schools, supports workplaces, and pushes for policy reform. The organization is strict in its recruitment and training, ensuring that volunteers are not just compassionate, but also well-prepared to handle mental health crises.

Victor is clear-eyed about the systemic challenges facing mental health care in Nigeria from a lack of psychiatrists (fewer than 300 nationwide), outdated laws like the Lunacy Act of 1958, to cultural beliefs that prioritize spiritual remedies over medical care.

To address these gaps, MANI is pushing for policy change, community-level education, and implementation of WHO-backed initiatives like the Mental Health GAP Programme (mhGAP), which equips non-specialist health workers to provide mental health support in underserved areas

While digital advocacy has helped MANI grow rapidly, Victor recognizes the need to reach people beyond internet access. That’s why MANI is expanding its services to local languages and working to build decentralized mental health support systems in rural communities across Nigeria and Africa.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, MANI saw a 300% surge in support requests, leading to the creation of the “Stranger Support System” a peer-listening program that has since supported thousands. The organization also ramped up training and emotional support for its volunteers, ensuring they could continue delivering care even in high-pressure situations.

Victor doesn’t just advocate from an expert standpoint , he shares simple, personal practices that anyone can adopt: journaling, gratitude exercises, therapy, music, meditation, and good sleep hygiene.

His message is clear: everyone has a role to play in supporting mental health , from families and workplaces to schools and places of worship.

With over 6 million minutes of counselling delivered, thousands of students and workers reached, and a growing network of trained mental health champions, Victor Ugo’s work continues to redefine mental health advocacy in Africa.

His vision is bold but simple: a society where mental health is understood, supported, and prioritised not stigmatized.