Nigerian Rapper, Ycee came out to share his struggles with accessing mental healthcare in Nigeria, revealing that a shortage of specialists Doctors forced him to halt his ongoing bipolar disorder treatment after returning to the country.
Speaking on Arise, the musician shared that he dealt with the condition for six years before finally getting an accurate diagnosis.
“I was in and out of the hospital and went through different diagnoses before we arrived at that,” Ycee stated, noting that prior to 2020, public conversations around mental health were practically nonexistent in Nigeria.
He compared it to his experience in London, where public health infrastructure actively promoted mental health helplines alongside pandemic awareness.
The rapper highlighted the deep systemic deficits within Nigeria’s healthcare sector, particularly the lack of funding and trained personnel available to patients.
“I was supposed to continue treatment in Lagos, but that was where I saw how much of a challenge it is to deal with that kind of condition. There was a lack of personnel,” Ycee explained. He pointed out that fields for psychiatrists and psychologists remain heavily understaffed, making basic treatment inaccessible for most people.
Beyond staffing shortages, Ycee addressed the cultural stigma that prevents people from seeking help, noting a common misconception that depression is merely a “big man’s disease.” Despite facing public questions about why he chooses to vocalize these issues, the artist emphasized that reasonable healthcare remains out of reach for too many Nigerians.
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