In celebration of the 2025 United Nations Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day, Hope Builders for the Physically Challenged Foundation has issued a clarion call to eliminate discrimination against entrepreneurs with disabilities and support their invaluable contributions to Nigeria’s economy.
During a special empowerment event held in Mushin, Lagos, the Foundation’s founder, Dr. Christiana Akinrinmade, underscored the need to recognise the abilities and potential of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the country’s entrepreneurial landscape.
“We are not here to celebrate limitations but strengths. We want the world to see that there is ability in disability,” she declared.
Dr. Akinrinmade, a former banker turned visually impaired entrepreneur and trainer, stressed that although the Foundation’s initiatives are largely self-funded, sustainable support from government bodies and the private sector is essential to scale their impact.
Highlighting the steady growth in the quality of their products—from using recycled containers to custom-branded packaging—she noted that with adequate funding and technical support, many of their products could meet international export standards.
“Our production quality is improving, and so is our vision,” she said. “We just need the right support to go further.”
Dr. Akinrinmade, who personally designs and sews clothes despite her visual impairment, urged society to end the stigma surrounding disability and embrace more inclusive economic planning.
Also at the event was Kehinde Adegboye, a blind entrepreneur who displayed her line of homemade potato chips and fresh vegetables. She narrated how she acquired her skills from a neighbor and now runs a small-scale business. However, she lamented the high cost of production due to lack of access to modern tools such as an oven.
“I spend over N15,000 every time I produce. Oil prices are high, and the manual process is tedious,” she said. “Even so, I keep going. But we need support—real, practical help.”
Adegboye also advocated for the government to organise periodic exhibitions and awareness campaigns that spotlight the talents of PWDs. She noted that stigma and public misconceptions continue to hinder their business growth.
“People think buying from us will make them disabled. That thinking is wrong. We’re clean, capable, and we even employ able-bodied staff,” she said passionately.
Prince Bayo Oluwole Tiwon, another remarkable figure at the event, lost his sight in 2016 due to a medical condition. Rather than beg, he chose to retrain through a program offered by the Foundation and now makes handcrafted leather bags and household items.
“I was a furniture maker before I went blind. I refused to be a liability, so I learned leatherwork,” he explained. “Today, I make laptop bags, school bags, and even soap.”
However, he shared the frustration of limited patronage, noting that his leather products are often overlooked due to prevailing biases.
“I sold soap today, but no one bought a bag. People ignore our work because of our condition,” he lamented. “If government agencies acted as off-takers, it would change everything.”
Tiwon also recalled a distressing experience on public transport where a passenger disembarked simply because he was blind—a painful reminder of the deep-seated prejudice that still exists.
“It was humiliating. But others stood up for me. We’re not asking for pity—we just want equal opportunities.”
The event featured solidarity messages and pledges of support from representatives of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists, and the Living Vine Mental Health Foundation, all of whom reaffirmed their commitment to inclusive economic empowerment.
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