Victor Ugo

Dr. Victor Ugo is the founder of Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI), a leading youth-led mental health network in Nigeria and Africa. He holds an MSc in Global Mental Health and has been a driving force in elevating youth mental health conversations globally. Through MANI, Dr. Ugo has leveraged digital tools and social media to transform mental health perception and support in Nigeria. MANI has connected over 60,000 Nigerians in distress to psychological first aid and referrals through text-based counseling, reaching over 13 million annually through its digital platforms. Dr. Ugo's work has achieved significant impact, producing digital mental health resources, creating Nigeria's first mental health short film, and in 2018, organizing Africa's largest virtual mental health summit at the time. MANI's efforts proved crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of accessible digital mental health support. In his current capacity as the MHPSS and Youth Advisor at the MHPSS Collaborative, Dr. Ugo continues to champion meaningful engagement and participation of children and young people at all levels of mental health programming, research, and advocacy.