Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative

What Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative does

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) is a Nigerian nonprofit organization founded in 2016 and headquartered in Lagos. It operates as Nigeria's largest youth-run and youth-focused mental health organization, delivering free crisis support, counseling, mental health education, school-based programs, and workplace interventions. Its primary beneficiary base is Nigerian youth aged 10–25, with over 80% of the 200,000+ persons supported since inception falling within this demographic. The organization maintains an active volunteer counselor network across all 36 Nigerian states and generates the majority of its public awareness through a 180,000+ social media following and 3.5M+ monthly reach.

MANI's service portfolio is delivered through a combination of digital infrastructure and on-the-ground programming. Core digital products include the Itunu Platform (a WhatsApp bot, counselor mobile app, and admin dashboard for case management), an online Learning Platform covering common mental health conditions, a self-administered Mental Health Screening Tool, the A-Z of Mental Health informational resource, and the MANI Forum for peer and professional support. Programmatic offerings include the Bridging the Gaps (BTG) university project funded by Comic Relief, the #ProjectFuture secondary school program funded by ACT Foundation, and workplace Employee Assistance Programmes for corporate clients. Supporting resources include informational toolkits and a national mental health facility directory.

As a registered nonprofit, MANI provides all direct services free of charge to beneficiaries and does not operate a fee-for-service pricing model. Revenue is sourced from individual donations (processed via Paystack), institutional grants (Comic Relief, TikTok Mental Health Education Fund, ACT Foundation), and an emerging corporate EAP revenue stream. The organization has been recognized with the Nelson Mandela-Graca Machel Innovation Award (2017), inclusion in The Elders' 100 'Sparks of Hope,' and membership on the Twitter Trust and Safety Council and Facebook Safety Advisory Board.

Name

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative

Legal name

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative

Website

https://mentallyaware.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative is a Lagos-based nonprofit founded in 2016 that delivers free mental health crisis support, counseling, and education to Nigerian youth aged 10–25 through digital tools, school programs, and a volunteer counselor network active across all 36 Nigerian states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Offices of Mental Health Practitioners (except Physicians) (621330)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAD

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAEAH

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAAAHAK

Mental Wellness & Resilience Education (Non-clinical)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Health, Wellness & Lifestyle Education (Nutrition, Fitness, Mindfulness)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Crisis counseling support
• Youth mental health
• Mental health education
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters. Monthly donation options available via Paystack. Also accepts bank transfers to local Zenith Bank and Access (Diamond) Bank accounts.
2. Institutional Grants: Funding from organizations like Comic Relief (for Bridging the Gap project), TikTok Mental Health Education Fund, and ACT Foundation. These grants fund specific programs and projects.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Workplace mental health programs and Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) for organizations, potentially generating revenue through service fees.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

MANI is a non-profit mental health organization that delivers free crisis counseling and support via phone hotlines and WhatsApp to individuals across Nigeria, complemented by online mental health education, a screening tool, a community forum, and structured school and workplace programs. Since inception it has provided direct support to over 200,000 persons (more than 80% aged 10–25) through a volunteer network active in all 36 Nigerian states.

Product overview

Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI) operates as a youth-led mental health organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services rather than a unified software product. The core service offering consists of free crisis counselling support via phone hotlines and WhatsApp. Digital products include the Itunu Platform (WhatsApp bot, Counselor mobile app, and Admin dashboard), a Learning Platform for mental health education, the A-Z of Mental Health information resource, and a Mental Health Screening Tool. Community offerings comprise the MANI Forum for peer and professional support, and the Ruminations@5 newsletter. The organization also delivers structured programmes including the Bridging the Gaps university project, #ProjectFuture for secondary schools, and workplace Employee Assistance Programmes. Supporting resources include informational toolkits and a national mental health facility directory. These offerings work together to provide a continuum of awareness, education, screening, counselling, and referral services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Direct support to 200,000+ persons since inception
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CBM Global Disability InclusioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementation partner for the Bridging the Gaps project, providing support for mental health programming targeting young people with disabilities and psychosocial conditions.
• Twitter Trust and Safety CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership position allowing MANI to provide expertise on suicide prevention efforts and help individuals at risk of self-harm on the platform.
• Facebook Safety Advisory BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership providing expertise to inform Facebook's suicide prevention efforts and support users depicting risk of suicide or self-harm.
• BellaNaijaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership hosting Twitter Spaces series on mental health legislation, movie industry and mental health, music business and mental health topics.
• CBM UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for the Digital Life and Women's Mental Health event, with Mental Health Coordinator Erla Magnusdottir providing interview coverage.
• African Polling Institute (API)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration for the COVID-19 mental health impact study, conducting cross-sectional surveys across all geo-political regions in Nigeria through telephonic interviews.
• United for Global Mental HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational mental health network partner working to improve global mental health awareness and advocacy.
• X3M IdeasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing and creative agency partnership supporting mental health awareness campaigns and communications.
• Jack.orgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational mental health organization partner, known for youth mental health advocacy programs.
• Mental Health Innovation NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner network for sharing mental health innovations and best practices.
• Nigeria Mental Health GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Nigerian mental health advocacy network partner for policy work and awareness campaigns.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• StrongMinds: Africa-focused (Uganda, Tanzania) nonprofit providing low-cost mental health treatment, primarily group talk therapy for depression. Directly comparable as a youth-adjacent African mental health NGO with a scalable, community-based delivery model.
• Jack.org: Canadian youth mental health nonprofit focused on advocacy, education, and peer-led programs. Directly comparable as a youth-led mental health awareness and education organization; documented partner of MANI.
• The Trevor Project: US-based nonprofit providing crisis support and counseling to LGBTQ+ youth via phone, text, and chat. Comparable to MANI in mission (youth crisis support), digital-first delivery (WhatsApp bot equivalent), and large volunteer counselor network.
• Asido Foundation: Nigeria-based mental health nonprofit focused on reducing stigma and supporting people with mental health conditions. Closely aligned with MANI on mental health advocacy, education, and peer/community support within the same Nigerian market.
• LUTH Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN): Nigeria-based suicide prevention and research initiative operating crisis hotlines out of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Closely comparable to MANI's crisis-support service line, with a stronger clinical/research orientation.
• Friendship Bench: Zimbabwe-origin, now multi-country, mental health NGO delivering lay-counselor-led problem-solving therapy in communities. Comparable to MANI in using non-clinician volunteers for community-based mental health support across Africa.
• She Writes Woman: Nigeria-based mental health and women's wellbeing nonprofit operating crisis hotlines and awareness campaigns. Directly comparable to MANI in mission, geography, and free crisis-support service model.
• Emotions City: Nigeria-based mental health organization providing counseling and mental health education. Comparable to MANI as a domestic peer offering free or low-cost counseling and awareness services to Nigerian audiences.

Emerging players

• Crisis Text Line: US-based nonprofit providing free, 24/7 text-based crisis support with a large volunteer counselor workforce. Comparable as a digital, volunteer-counselor-driven crisis support model that MANI mirrors via WhatsApp and phone channels.
• BasicNeeds: International mental health NGO operating across Africa and Asia, focused on mental health and epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable as a community-based, grant-funded mental health nonprofit working in similar geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MentallyAwareNG
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/mentallyawareng
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mentallyawareng
• Instagraminstagram.com/mentallyawareng

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative