by Yusuf Mohammed Lawan, Gombe
Published on April 23, 2026
Ability News Network (ANN) recently conducted a range of investigative hunts on Disability Rights Activists' trending activities across different divide and clusters of persons with disabilities in the country. The investigation revealed a horrifying tales of inequality, injustice and inhumane treatments meted to PWDs by some wicked elements in the society.
ANN discovered that over the years Disability Rights Activists in Nigeria are raising the alarm that millions of persons with special needs continue to face overwhelming challenges in daily life.
Key among the problems, they say, are unemployment, limited access to education, and deep-rooted social exclusion that keeps persons with disabilities on the margins of society.
According to a recent report by Punch newspaper, an estimated 35 million Nigerians live with some form of disability, yet most still do not receive the same level of care, opportunity, or access as other citizens.
Buildings That Shut People Out
The report highlights that the majority of government buildings, schools, hospitals, and public spaces remain inaccessible to persons with disabilities. The absence of ramps, elevators, tactile pathways, and adapted restrooms forces wheelchair users, blind persons, and others to abandon essential services. For many, a simple trip to a local government office or health center becomes an impossible task.
Education and Employment: Doors Still Closed
Beyond physical infrastructure, activists point to a crisis in inclusive education. Most schools lack teachers trained in inclusive pedagogy and Nigerian Sign Language, and there is an acute shortage of assistive devices such as Braille materials, hearing aids, and screen readers. As a result, dropout rates among children with disabilities remain high.
The labor market is no better. Qualified persons with disabilities are routinely denied jobs due to stigma, misconceptions about productivity, or employers’ unwillingness to provide reasonable accommodation.
A Call to Government: Rights, Not Charity
Activists are calling on the Federal Government, state governments, and local councils to take urgent, concrete steps to ensure equity and inclusion. They stressed that protecting the rights of persons with disabilities is not an act of charity. It is a legal obligation under the 1999 Constitution and the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
Immediate actions demanded include:
1. Enforce the law: Begin sanctions against public institutions that fail to meet the minimum accessibility standards set by the 2018 Act.
2. Fund inclusion: Ring-fence budget lines in education, health, and employment ministries for assistive devices, accessibility retrofits, and staff training.
3. Public sensitization: Roll out nationwide campaigns via radio, TV, religious institutions, and social media to dismantle stigma and misinformation.
4. Transparent reporting: The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and Ministry of Education should publish quarterly progress reports with disaggregated data on enrollment, employment, and accessibility compliance.
No More Delays:
Nigeria is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has had a national disability law since 2018. The time for converting policy into practice is long overdue. When 35 million citizens cannot access schools, jobs, or public buildings, the entire country loses out on their skills, taxes, and innovation.
As activists put it: “Inclusion is not a favor. It is a right.” and therefore a right PWDs should enjoy maximally without hinderence
let’s break it down: *Challenges → Resolution → Reformation → Reinforcement* for PWDs in Nigeria.
ReplyDelete*1. Main Challenges PWDs Face*
Challenge What it looks like on ground
**Accessibility** No ramps, no braille, no sign language in schools, hospitals, polling units
**Stigma** Seen as beggars or cursed. Families hide them
**Education gap** Few special schools. Teachers not trained for inclusive education
**Unemployment** Companies refuse to hire. 5% quota in Disability Act not enforced
**Healthcare barrier** Doctors don’t know sign language. Clinics lack assistive devices
**Political exclusion** Campaign grounds and party structures ignore PWDs. Hard to contest
*2. Resolution = What can fix it now*
1. *Enforce the 2018 Disability Act*: INEC, banks, schools must comply or get fined. That law already says public buildings must be accessible.
2. *Free/subsidized assistive devices*: Govt + NGOs provide wheelchairs, hearing aids, white canes. Adamawa State can partner with NCPWD.
3. *Inclusive education*: Train regular teachers on basic sign language + braille. Post them to Mubi, Yola, Jos LGA schools.
4. *PWD desk in every LGA*: So complaints don’t die in Abuja. Someone local to follow up.
*3. Reformation = Changing the system long term*
1. *Curriculum change*: Teach disability rights in primary/secondary school to kill stigma early.
2. *Political party reform*: INEC should mandate parties to reserve certain positions for PWDs, not just women/youth.
3. *Budget line*: Each state must dedicate a clear % of health + education budget to PWD needs. No more “general welfare.”
4. *Data*: Nigeria lacks real data. Do a proper PWD census per LGA so Mubi knows how many deaf, blind, physically challenged people need help.
*4. Reinforcement = Making it stick*
1. *Sanctions*: If a new bank branch in Jos has no ramp, CBN should not approve it.
2. *PWD monitoring groups*: Let PWD associations in Adamawa inspect projects and publish reports.
3. *Public shaming + rewards*: Name LGAs/companies that comply. Sanction those that don’t.
4. *Empowerment, not pity*: Fund PWD-led businesses. Give them contracts, not just ₦5k handouts during Sallah.
*Bottom line*: The laws exist. The gap is political will + enforcement. “Powerful forces” you mentioned earlier need to see PWD inclusion as votes and value, not charity.
Thanks for this insightful commentđź‘‹
Delete