Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress: Nigeria at the crossroads of commitment and reality

By Eja Manifest Eji

Every 3rd of December, the world pauses to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD)—a day set aside by the United Nations in 1992 to promote understanding of disability issues, uphold the dignity of persons with disabilities, and assess global progress toward inclusion. Since then, IDPD has served as a mirror, reflecting both the strides made and the urgent gaps that remain.

The 2025 theme, “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress,” evokes a powerful reminder: no nation can claim true development if millions of its citizens remain excluded, unheard, and invisible.

Nigeria: Where We Should Be vs. Where We Are

Nigeria—Africa’s most populous country—has an estimated 30 million persons with disabilities. In 2018, the nation took a bold step with the passage of the Prohibition of Persons with Disabilities Act, a law meant to prohibit discrimination, guarantee accessibility, ensure 5% employment opportunities in public institutions, and establish the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD).

On paper, this was progress.
In reality, however, the journey has been painfully slow.

Seven years after the passage of the Act, many Nigerians with disabilities are still waiting for its full implementation. Buildings remain inaccessible. Employment opportunities remain a whisper. Public institutions continue to violate accessibility standards. The 5% employment quota remains largely symbolic. And the NCPWD continues to struggle with limited enforcement power, inadequate funding, and weak government support.

For millions of Nigerians with disabilities, inclusion is still a distant promise.

The Daily Realities: Pain, Struggle, and Exclusion

Beyond legislation, the lived experience of persons with disabilities in Nigeria tells a heartbreaking story—one filled with resilience but clouded by systemic neglect.

1. Physical Barriers

Simple tasks become major battles:

Schools without ramps

Government offices without accessible entrances

Hospitals without sign language interpreters

Public transportation that is neither friendly nor safe

Nigeria’s physical environment is built to exclude, not to welcome.

2. Economic Disadvantages

Despite academic qualifications and skills, many persons with disabilities remain unemployed. Some resort to begging, not out of choice, but due to societal rejection.

3. Social Discrimination

From stigma in communities to ridicule in public places, many encounter judgment before they even speak. Women and children with disabilities face double marginalization, first as persons with disabilities, then as vulnerable groups in a patriarchal society.

4. Educational Inequality

Students with disabilities often struggle without assistive devices, Braille materials, interpreters, or inclusive learning environments. Many drop out simply because the system was never designed with them in mind.

5. Policy Neglect

Government responses often end at press statements.
Every December 3rd, speeches are made, promises are renewed, and hashtags trend.
But come December 4th, the reality reverts: silence, delay, and indifference.

A Day for Reflection, Not Empty Speeches

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is not merely a ceremonial date on the global calendar. It is a day of:

remembering the struggles

celebrating the achievements

demanding accountability

reimagining a future where disability does not mean disadvantage

As Nigeria joins the world to mark this year’s celebration, the nation must look itself in the mirror.
What have we truly done for inclusion?
Where have we failed?
Why are millions still excluded in 2025?

We must realize that persons with disabilities do not need pity.
They do not need charity.
They need systems that work, systems that respect rights, dignity, opportunity, and equality.

The Way Forward: Inclusion Is Not a Favour—It Is a Right

To truly foster a disability-inclusive society, Nigeria must go beyond symbolic gestures. There must be concrete action:

1. Full enforcement of the 2018 Disability Act

No more delays. No more excuses.

2. Accessibility audits across all government and private institutions

Enforce penalties for noncompliance.

3. Implementation of the 5% employment quota

Qualified persons with disabilities must be hired, not sidelined.

4. Investment in assistive technology and inclusive education

5. Training and awareness programs to dismantle stigma

6. Funding and strengthening of the NCPWD

A commission that cannot enforce laws is a commission set up to fail.

7. Active inclusion of persons with disabilities in governance and policy-making

Nothing about us, without us.

A Call to Nigeria, Government, Civil Society, NGOs, and the Public

As we celebrate IDPD 2025, the message is clear:
Inclusion must not be seasonal. It must not be limited to December speeches. It must be woven into the daily fabric of governance, community life, and national development.

Government at all levels must rise above tokenism.
Civil society must intensify advocacy.
Private institutions must open their doors.
Communities must embrace empathy.
And the media must continue to spotlight disability narratives with dignity and truth.

Persons with disabilities have dreams, talent, intelligence, and potential. They have contributed—and continue to contribute—to the nation’s social, cultural, political, and economic development. What they need is equal opportunity, not selective benevolence.

Conclusion

This year’s theme calls us to rethink inclusion as the backbone of social progress. Nigeria stands at a crossroads: remain stuck in unimplemented policies, or boldly advance toward a society where every citizen—regardless of disability—can thrive.

The choice is ours.
The future is ours to shape.
And inclusion is the only path to true national progress.