The Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu has urged relevant stakeholders not to allow the absence of perfect data to deter their commitment towards advancing disability inclusion in Nigeria.
Issa-Onilu made the call when he received a delegation from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), in his office in Abuja.
During the visit, the NOA DG emphasized that accessible facilities, such as inclusive building design, dedicated parking spaces, and user-friendly public amenities, should be implemented proactively in line with already existing relevant laws.
He called for a shift from charity-based support to Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, to empowerment, insisting that they be equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to assert their rights and live up to their full potentials at local and national levels.
He also underscored the importance of political and social inclusion, urging the removal of systemic barriers that prevent PWDs from fully participating in society. He warned against tokenism, calling instead for a society where accessibility, dignity, and full participation are guaranteed for all.
The NOA, with its extensive nationwide presence, media platforms, and grassroots structures, constitute key assets that can help drive awareness, sensitisation, and community-level engagement regarding the rights of people with disabilities,” he posited.
In his response, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, expressed deep appreciation for NOA’s support and reaffirmed his Commission’s readiness to strengthen cooperation with the Agency to ensure full implementation of the Discrimination Against People with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018.
He highlighted the chronic challenges confronting PWDs, including unreliable population data, underfunding, low staff remuneration, incomplete enforcement of accessibility standards, and limited employment opportunities.
He said, “While census figures once placed Nigeria’s PWD population at 2.6 million, current estimates range between 35.5 and 38 million, far higher than officially recorded.
“Nigeria must borrow a leaf from South Korea, which has demonstrated how strong institutional backing and employment guarantees ensure that no PWD is left behind.”
The Executive Secretary stressed that disability inclusion should extend to all who are committed to supporting PWDs, not just those living with disabilities themselves.
Both organisations agreed on the urgent need for concrete action, stronger public sensitisation, and systemic adjustments to build a more inclusive, equitable society for millions of Nigerians living with disabilities.
To this end, it was agreed that a Joint Committee of the NOA and NCPWD be established to design areas of collaboration to enhance nationwide awareness, strengthen implementation of the Disability Act, and ensure full inclusivity of PWDs in national life.
