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Nigeria unveils first disability inclusion report

đź“… November 20, 2025

The report, supported by the Nigerian Youth Futures Fund, is part of the broader Disability Inclusion Metric Project (DIMP). Photo: Maureen Eke/Radio Nigeria
Project Enable Africa, in partnership with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and the Federal of Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, has launched Nigeria’s inaugural State of Disability Inclusion Report (SDIR) 2024 in Abuja.

The Executive Director of Project Enable Africa, Olalekan Owonikoko, described the report as a landmark assessment of disability rights implementation across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. “It was developed through stakeholder consultations and key interviews with persons with disabilities across the country,” he stated.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities Mohammed Abba Isa, who delivered the keynote address, praised Project Enable Africa’s efforts in producing a timely, evidence-based report.

According to him, the SDIR is more than a record of progress—it is a rallying call for action. He reaffirmed his office’s commitment to deepening inclusion nationwide.

Nkem Uchegbulam, who represented the Executive Secretary of NCPWD, pledged that the commission, alongside the SDIR, will send a policy memo to relevant ministries and state governments to clarify how the report’s findings aligns with their statutory mandates.

Speaking on behalf of the Project Enable Africa board, Dr Kola Olugbodi said the report arrives at a pivotal moment, following the five-year grace period allowed for full compliance with the Disability Act signed into law in 2019.

Providing an overview of the findings, Dr Adebukola Adebayo, who coordinated the report’s development, revealed that only 23 states currently have disability laws, with just 15 having operational agencies. “Despite national progress, there are still major gaps between the law and its implementation,” he stressed.

The report Funded by the Nigerian Youth Futures Fund, the report is part of the broader Disability Inclusion Metric Project (DIMP) and serves as a critical benchmark for accountability as the transitional period under the National Disability Act ends.

Project Enable Africa reaffirmed its mission to ensure the SDIR leads to real change—transforming from policy on paper to inclusive practices on the ground for Nigeria’s disability community.

Editing by Daniel Adejo and Tony Okerafor

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