Accessing Campus Mental Health Services in a Nigerian Southwestern University: Barriers to Academic Success

Abstract

Mental health disorders are a significant health concern among higher education institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. A substantial treatment gap exists in the Nigerian healthcare system, and this gap is further worsened by cultural and religious barriers, which reinforce stigma that discourages students from seeking professional help. This qualitative narrative inquiry explored the barriers students encountered when accessing mental health services at a university in Southwestern Nigeria, to increase service access. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with seven professional mental health providers at a university counseling center between March and April 2025. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify codes and themes related to access barriers. Eight themes associated with barriers to accessing mental health services were found: perceived barriers; social and cultural factors; peer, family, and societal perceptions toward help seeking; stigma and confidentiality; barriers faced by professional providers at work with students; university mental health policies; professional providers’ training; and strategies to increase use of campus counseling services. Participants reported cultural practices and religious beliefs, as well as a fear of stigma, influenced students’ perceptions, such as viewing mental health conditions as supernatural or demonic influence, invariably impeding help-seeking. The findings suggest that sustainable mental health education and awareness efforts targeting both students and the broader university community may help reduce barriers to help-seeking and increase students’ use of university counseling services. Universities must design policies specifically tailored to address their mental health challenges