The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) are exploring a strategic partnership to expand economic opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) through inclusive trade, entrepreneurship, industrialisation and the creative economy.
Inclusive News Network reports that the proposed collaboration was discussed during a courtesy visit by the Commission to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hon. Jumoke Oduwole, in her office in Abuja.
The Executive Secretary of the NCPWD, Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, said the visit was aimed at securing institutional support for disability inclusion in the Ministry’s programmes, particularly in trade, investment, enterprise development and the creative industry.
Represented by the Commission’s Director of Social Integration, Lawrence Idemudia, Gufwan also sought opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in CANEX WKND 2026, a platform for showcasing creativity, promoting enterprise and expanding market access.
He disclosed that the Commission was already working with Peace for Humanity Foundation and Discovering Ability in Disability Initiative (DADI) on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, empowerment and creative industry development for persons with disabilities.
Gufwan commended Oduwole for her role in advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in industrialisation, the growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and trade expansion.
He noted that the proposed partnership aligned with the NCPWD’s mandate under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, which empowers the Commission to promote, protect and enforce the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities.
Emphasising the economic importance of disability inclusion, Gufwan argued that persons with disabilities must be integrated into Nigeria’s trade and industrialisation plans rather than excluded from opportunities for economic participation.
“Disability inclusion is economic inclusion,” he said, stressing that persons with disabilities represent a significant population of consumers, producers and entrepreneurs whose contributions could strengthen the national economy.
He added that the Commission was not seeking charity but opportunities to unlock the economic potential of persons with disabilities through inclusive trade policies, investment programmes and creative industry initiatives.
Responding, Oduwole assured the Commission of her Ministry’s willingness to explore ways of ensuring that persons with disabilities benefit from its ongoing projects and empowerment programmes.
She highlighted the Ministry’s role in promoting economic opportunities for Nigerians and noted that it had received recognition for its commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.
The Minister identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework as one of the avenues through which persons with disabilities could access economic opportunities, adding that the Ministry’s trade department could help identify relevant programmes for their participation.
She also highlighted CANEX WKND 2026 as a platform for trade, investment, enterprise development and market access, noting that qualified persons with disabilities could benefit from the initiative.
To translate the proposed partnership into concrete action, Oduwole directed representatives of the Ministry, the Commission and its partners to establish a Technical Working Committee to identify strategic areas of collaboration and develop measures for integrating persons with disabilities into the Ministry’s programmes and plans.
Among the Commission’s key requests was the formal inclusion of NCPWD and entrepreneurs with disabilities in the Ministry’s major trade, investment, business development and creative industry programmes.
The Commission also sought the Minister’s approval for persons with disabilities to showcase their talents at the creative economy segment of CANEX WKND 2026, noting that the disability community possesses considerable creative potential that remains largely untapped.
Another proposal was collaboration on the PWD Reality TV Talent Hunt Show, a national initiative being developed by the Commission in partnership with DADI to discover, train and mentor talented persons with disabilities and help them turn their skills into sustainable sources of income.
The proposed talent hunt will cover a range of fields, including music, comedy, film and acting, fashion design, visual arts and painting, dance, culinary arts, content creation and assistive technology innovation.
The Commission also presented the Farm City Project, which it is developing in partnership with Peace for Humanity Foundation to promote the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities through agriculture, vocational opportunities and business development.
The initiative is designed to support wealth creation, entrepreneurship and poverty reduction among persons with disabilities across the country.
According to the Commission, integrating these initiatives into the Ministry’s existing empowerment schemes and MSME development programmes would expand access to economic opportunities, strengthen the participation of entrepreneurs with disabilities and promote more inclusive national development.
The proposed Technical Working Committee is expected to identify practical areas of cooperation that will enable persons with disabilities to participate more fully in Nigeria’s trade, investment, industrialisation and creative economy sectors.
Join Inclusive News Network WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.