heyOn a quiet evening in her Abuja hotel, 23-year-old Joy Adeboye sits on her bed holding her phone, her mind racing and her chest tight. On her screen is another abusive message from her stalker – a man she met at her church nine months ago.
He asked Adeboye out; When she refused, he started sending her threatening, abusive and blackmailing messages on social media, as well as spreading false information about her online. Even death threats were made.
This experience is taking a toll on his mental health, leaving him struggling to cope. The family and friends she trusted did not take it seriously and she personally could not afford therapy or counseling. As a feeling of panic set in at the sight of her words, she turned to an alternative: a WhatsApp chatbot called Chat Kemi.
“Good evening, Resilient Joey,” the bot types. “how are you doing today?”
Adeboye hesitates, then begins to type: “Someone is shaming me online and threatening to kill me because I refused to date him. I’m depressed and confused. What should I do?”
The chatbot, which Adeboye heard about at a program on gender-based violence run by an NGO, advises her to deactivate her social media accounts and provide all necessary information about the person threatening her to someone she trusts.
Adeboye says she felt less alone for the first time in months.
AI platforms providing first-line mental health support have grown rapidly in the past year, with preliminary test showing in usa mixed results. where in nigeria AI has been adopted Across many sectors and industries, increasing numbers of people turn to chatbots for virtual therapy.
Nigeria’s health system, including its mental health provision, has been chronically underfunded. Between 2015 and 2025, Nigeria has consistently spent less than 5% of your budget for healthcareWith 4.2% allocated for 2026, far short of the 15% target agreed by African Union member states 2001 Abuja Declaration. It is not known how many people are living with mental health problems in Nigeria Only 262 psychiatrists In a country of 240 million people, most do not receive adequate treatment.
there has been a shortage The Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID has made the situation even worse.which is services severely affected In Nigeria, especially at the primary level, there has to be a devastating effects on patients In communities that already struggle with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other health challenges. more than this 90% of Nigerians have no health insuranceAnd now faced with uncertainty over access to services and a feeling of helplessness over rising costs.
Private healthcare is expensive; A therapy session can cost between 50,000 naira (£27) – the equivalent of a week’s worth of groceries. Cultural stigma remains strong; Many Nigerians still associate mental illness with spiritual weakness or witchcraft.
Commercial and non-profit AI initiatives are beginning to fill this void. his safe place is an organization that provides free and immediate legal and emotional support to victims of technology-facilitated gender-based violence in five West and Central African countries. Its Chat Chemy service is available in local and international languages.
Its founder, Abedin Olasupo, says, “These services do not replace therapy.” Instead, the chatbot uses a referral system to direct users and specific cases to mental health, legal or psychosocial professionals or organizations when needed.
“Our main aim is to support young girls, who are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence,” he says.
Other platforms providing similar services in Nigeria include FriendPalwhose AI chatbot provides emotional support, matches patients with licensed therapists and includes mood tracking, psycho-education, and ASMR tools to reduce stress and anxiety.
Its pay-as-you-go model gives users instant access to customized therapy sessions that may include homework or assessments, according to Esther Errucci, who created the service in response to her mother’s death after years of depression caused by the death of her 20-year-old brother.
Another platform, blueroomcareConnects customers with licensed therapists via video, voice, text, and in-app messaging. It provides in-person outpatient and virtual care at partner clinics nationwide, includes a free wellness assessment, and charges between 5,000 and 51,000 naira for a physician membership plan.
“Therapy was often very expensive, and there were not enough professionals to meet the demand,” says Moses Ayenuro, who founded BlueroomCare after battling depression. “I wanted to create a platform that reduces barriers to care.”
The technology used by these apps follows scripts written by licensed Nigerian psychologists and therapists who care for the users.
In Lagos, Oluwakemi Oluwakayode, a mother of four, started using FriendPal’s chatbot after watching her eight-year-old daughter suffer frequent seizures due to cerebral palsy.
“At times, it gave very standard answers,” she admits. “But eventually I could say things I couldn’t share with my family. That alone brought me relief.”
Later, the app connected her to a licensed therapist — something she says she never would have considered without the AI hooking her into it.
Dr. Joy Aifuobhokhan, a Lagos-based public health physician, says the advantage of these platforms is that they are more affordable and efficient than traditional medicine. “Digital platforms save time otherwise spent on preparation, commuting and waiting at physical counseling centres,” she says.
But some experts caution that AI can’t provide the same level of expertise as a qualified physician. “These platforms borrow from clinical methods like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and mindfulness,” says Dr. Nihinola Olowe, a psychologist at Live Still Counseling Services, a Nigerian-based mental health practice.
“They may be useful for coping, but they cannot replace the depth or judgment of professional care.”
Errucci says FriendPal has run more than 10,000 sessions last year, while Olasupo says HerSafeSpace has 1,600 users across three continents. BlueRoomCare declined to say how many users it has.
But measuring impact based on numbers alone is a challenge. “The real story lies in engagement,” Olasupo says. “It’s exciting to see that users are not just using the app and leaving – they’re coming back again and again.”
For many patients, the immediacy and anonymity of a chatbot are key to its appeal but the ease of digital care can come at the expense of privacy. Cyber security expert Avril Iwu-Adero believes that without introducing strong database security in Nigeria, sensitive information – such as medical history – becomes vulnerable as soon as it enters AI systems.
“If startups fail to prioritize privacy and encryption from the start, adoption will stagnate. Nigerians are curious but cautious,” she says.
Founders of the services acknowledge these uncertainties, often highlighting their use of end-to-end encryption, unique codes that identify users or devices without involving personally identifiable information, and strict non-sharing policies – even with government officials, unless compelled by court order.
Now, medical professionals are calling on the Nigerian government to develop enforceable national standards for AI. Dr. Alero Roberts, a public health consultant and lecturer at the Medical College of the University of Lagos, says: “AI chatbots are an innovative solution for mental health, but without strong regulation, we are stepping blindly into potentially dangerous territory.
She says, “Robots cannot interpret human emotions like humans can. Human interaction is vital for people in crisis such as suicidal thoughts or psychosis. Anyone, even a non-professional, can recognize the need for immediate intervention.” “With AI this is often lost; strong governance is essential.”
Unlike medicines or hospitals, AI mental health platforms operate in a regulatory gray zone. Nigeria’s 2023 data Protection Act Sets out basic privacy standards but lacks specific AI rules for health care.
“The main issue is enforcement, not lack of laws,” says Ayotunde Abiodun SBM IntelligenceA think tank that provides analysis on political, economic and social issues in Nigeria and across West Africa.
Babatunde Bamigboye, Head of Regulations Nigeria Data Protection CommissionA statutory body formed under the 2023 law says: “Any use involving personal data must comply with the Act. The framework focuses on data ethics, testing within sandboxes and risk mitigation. AI is governed in Nigeria, but not through AI-specific laws.”
In Lagos, Oluwakayode continues to use friendnapal. One day, she hopes to afford personal therapy, but for now, the bot is her companion.
“I know it’s not a real person,” she says. “But at 2 a.m., it feels like someone is there for me. And that’s enough to keep me going.”
