The federal government has warned that it will clamp down on organisations and persons discriminating against people with special needs.
Nkem Uchegbulam, director of compliance and enforcement at the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), issued the threat at an event marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) in Abuja on Monday.
Uchegbulam noted that there are legal protections available under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, adding that the commission would enforce the laws that say people with special needs must be mainstreamed into society.
“Today we mark the International Day for Persons with Disabilities in a different style. We mark it because we have a right under the law,” he said.
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“The commission will enforce all enforceable laws that say that persons with disabilities must be mainstreamed into the society.”
Catherine Edeh, executive director of Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI), tasked the government, civil society, and the public to move beyond rhetoric and fully implement disability-inclusive policies.
While highlighting the daily challenges faced by PWDs in Nigeria, Edeh lamented that women and girls with disabilities face rising risks of gender-based violence.
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She added that children with disabilities are often denied access to education, while adults struggle to access employment, healthcare, and justice.
“These are not abstract statistics. They are lived experiences—painful, daily reminders that disability inclusion is not a privilege; it is a right,” she said.
Edeh said there is a need for a full implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, greater investment in disability-inclusive justice systems, institutional reforms to embed accessibility across all sectors, and sustainable partnerships among government, civil society, international partners, and the disability community.
Ene Ede, chief facilitator at Edoka Trauma Care Centre, also emphasised the need for accountability and active participation by all organisations in ensuring inclusion for PWDs.
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Ede called on civil society and media to monitor the proper implementation of the Disability Act.
She also highlighted the importance of ensuring that persons with disabilities are included in all project planning and implementation.
