Disability advocates want the government to act on rights promises in Nigeria

Disability rights advocates are urging the federal government to do more than just talk about policies. They want the government to speed up action on commitments made during the Global Disability Summit (GDS). They warn that millions of Nigerians with disabilities still face challenges in education, jobs, healthcare, access to information, and social support, despite having legal protections in place.

This appeal came up on Wednesday during a media roundtable focused on the Nigeria 2025 Global Disability Summit Commitments Action Plan. Stakeholders discussed important government promises and asked journalists to help monitor how these promises are kept.

At the event, the National President of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Abdullahi Usman, was represented by Programme Officer, Bukunmi Adejumo. She said the action plan aims to support advocacy, strengthen accountability, and make sure commitments made by Nigeria at the Global Disability Summit lead to real improvements in the lives of disabled people.

Bukunmi shared that the Global Disability Summit is the biggest platform aimed at promoting the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. It brings together governments, United Nations agencies, civil society groups, and organizations of persons with disabilities to push for disability-inclusive development and humanitarian action.

She noted that the Nigeria 2025 GDS Commitments Action Plan was created by organizations of persons with disabilities, working with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and receiving support from the Disability Rights Fund (DRF).

One major commitment is about making digital information and communication accessible, a point she emphasized is particularly important for the media. The federal government has promised to ensure that the National Broadcasting Commission offers accessible broadcast services by December 2027. This includes using sign language interpretation, audio captioning, and other accessibility features in broadcasting.

Bukunmi added that the government will consult with persons with disabilities and their representative groups when designing and developing accessible digital information and communication platforms. "The commitment is not just about providing information but ensuring that information is accessible to everyone regardless of disability," she said.

The JONAPWD official also talked about commitments to improving financial inclusion. She mentioned that the government has promised to ensure accessible banking services across financial institutions by June 2028. The goal is for at least 75 percent of banks in Nigeria to have services that persons with disabilities can use.

She also revealed that the government plans to pursue laws that would set aside at least two percent of the country’s annual revenue for disability inclusion initiatives across different sectors by December 2026.

On education, Bukunmi expressed worry about how many children with disabilities are still left out of the school system. She described the current situation for inclusive education in Nigeria as not good enough. Many children with disabilities are out of school, and those who are enrolled often deal with segregation, poor learning conditions, and a lack of specialized support.

As part of the commitments, she said the government aims to return 70 percent of out-of-school children to school by 2028 through inclusive education policies and programs. But she insisted that commitments alone won't fix the problem without real action.

"We need action. We need to ensure that these commitments are reflected in government programs, budgets, and implementation plans," she said. Bukunmi also pointed out that legal capacity, social protection, healthcare, accessible infrastructure, community inclusion, employment, and humanitarian action are important parts of the action plan.

She said special care is being taken to ensure that persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities can exercise their legal rights through decision-making support. She also called on the private sector to get more involved in promoting disability inclusion. She urged companies to go beyond just making empty gestures and adopt real standards that help integrate persons with disabilities into economic and social life.

Bukunmi said organizations of persons with disabilities will track the government's progress on these commitments and engage with institutions where implementation fails. She emphasized the media's role in raising awareness about the issues faced by persons with disabilities and highlighting gaps in implementation.

"We want to move from commitments to impact. By the time the next Global Disability Summit holds in 2028, we want to be able to point to real achievements rather than return with the same promises," she said.