The Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA) has disbursed a special intervention fund of N24 million to 12 registered Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) across the state to strengthen their operations and enhance their capacity to provide grassroots services to persons with disabilities.
The intervention was presented to the beneficiary organisations on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the LASODA premises in Alausa, Ikeja.
Speaking during the presentation, the General Manager of LASODA, Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, said the intervention was designed to provide direct financial support to registered OPDs and enable them to strengthen their operations, advocacy activities and economic empowerment programmes for persons with disabilities across Lagos State.
She explained that the initiative was in line with the Lagos State Government’s THEMES+ agenda, particularly its commitment to social inclusion and ensuring that persons with disabilities have equal opportunities to participate meaningfully in the development of the state.
«“We know that the absence of adequate funding weakens the operational capacity of OPDs and limits their ability to effectively serve the people they represent. This initiative is therefore aimed at supporting you in strengthening your operations across your various clusters and ensuring equal opportunities for persons with disabilities in Lagos State.»
“When we invest in persons with disabilities, we are not merely providing welfare. We are creating opportunities for people to become productive, independent and active contributors to the social and economic development of Lagos State.
“This is why strengthening our Organisations of Persons with Disabilities is a strategic social investment.”
Oyetunde-Lawal described OPDs as critical partners in the state’s efforts to advance disability inclusion, noting that their proximity to persons with disabilities at the grassroots level gives them a unique position to identify needs, provide support and promote inclusion within their communities.
Addressing the beneficiary organisations, she said LASODA recognises and values their contributions to the disability inclusion agenda in the state.
“To our Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, I want to say: LASODA sees you, values your contribution and recognises you as important partners in the work of inclusion.
“We expect you to make the best possible use of this opportunity and, most importantly, to ensure that the impact of this intervention is felt by the persons and communities you represent.”
The LASODA General Manager reiterated the agency’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with disability organisations and supporting initiatives that improve the well-being, participation and socio-economic inclusion of persons with disabilities across Lagos State.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiary organisations, the Chairman of the Albinism Association of Nigeria, Mr. Tolani Ojuri, expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government and LASODA for the intervention and their continued partnership with the disability community.
He commended the state government for recognising the important role played by OPDs in advancing the rights, welfare and inclusion of persons with disabilities and expressed optimism that the intervention would further strengthen the organisations to deliver more effectively at the grassroots.
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