Objective Suicidal behaviour is seen in the context of a variety of mental disorders and while many believe that, suicide has become a serious matter in both developed and developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate the associated factors of suicidal ideation (SI) and attempt (SA) among Nigerian adults. Method The data were collected from Federal Medical Center Birnin Kebbi and the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Kebbi State, a nationally representative sample recruited using a multi-stage clustered probability design. Results Female, divorced/widowed, lower education and lower-income were associated with SI and SA (OR=1.56 CI=1.31–1.97, OR=1.91 CI=1.09–3.31). In particular, the effect of age on SI presented a reverse pattern based on gender; there was a positive association for men and a negative association for women. Conclusions: This study suggested that low education, low incomes, marital status and age were predominantly associated with the prevalence of SI and SA in women than men.