The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has inaugurated six strategic sub-committees to drive the implementation of the maiden national inclusive reality television show, PWDs Got Talent 2026.
The inauguration, held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Commission’s Conference Hall in Abuja, was presided over by the Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan.
The reality TV project is being implemented in partnership with the Discovering Abilities in Disabilities Initiative (DADI), with the organisers describing it as a major step towards changing public perceptions of persons with disabilities from recipients of sympathy to individuals with talents, skills and economic potential.
Represented at the event by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Aliyu Agwai, Gufwan said the initiative was conceived to provide persons with disabilities with a national platform to showcase their abilities and pursue opportunities in the creative and entertainment industries.
“Some time ago, we conceived an idea—to change the narrative from sympathy to ability, from charity to talent and empowerment. That idea has today become PWDs Got Talent Reality TV Show 2026,” he said.
The founder of DADI, Mr. Steve Rodstick Ezeh, said the initiative was driven by a commitment to discovering and promoting the talents of persons with disabilities, stressing that many PWDs possess exceptional abilities but often lack platforms through which they can be discovered and celebrated.
According to him, the 2026 theme, “Discovering Abilities in Disabilities,” reflects the vision of establishing a world-class, inclusive national reality talent show capable of discovering, developing and projecting persons with disabilities as stars.
The six sub-committees inaugurated by the Commission are the Contact and Mobilization Committee; Proposal and Partnership Committee; Media and Publicity Committee; Branding and Marketing Committee; Logistics, Protocol and Entertainment Committee; and Inclusion and Compliance Committee.
The Contact and Mobilization Committee will coordinate grassroots mobilisation across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory through the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), disability clusters, non-governmental organisations and community leaders.
The Proposal and Partnership Committee will oversee proposal development, sponsorship mobilisation and relationships with government institutions, corporate organisations and development partners, while the Media and Publicity Committee will coordinate press engagement, television, radio, online and social media campaigns.
The Branding and Marketing Committee will focus on the show’s brand identity, merchandise, advertising and commercial positioning, while the Logistics, Protocol and Entertainment Committee will handle venues, welfare, security, protocol, guest and celebrity management and overall event production.
The Inclusion and Compliance Committee will ensure that accessibility and disability inclusion remain central to the programme, including the provision of sign language interpretation, audio description and disability-sensitive content.
The organisers also disclosed that the show is backed by an N1 billion Ability Talent Fund, which is designed to reward exceptional talents, support enterprise development and provide opportunities for participants to sustain their careers after the reality show.
Gufwan said the project goes beyond entertainment, describing it as an opportunity to create role models, challenge stereotypes and demonstrate the abilities of Nigeria’s estimated population of more than 35 million persons with disabilities.
“This assignment is not just about a reality show. It is about creating role models, changing mindsets, and giving over 35 million Nigerians with disabilities a platform to show the world that there is ability in disability,” he said.
He explained that the constitution of the six professional sub-committees was necessary to provide the structure required to deliver the project effectively and ensure a seamless implementation process.
The highlight of the ceremony was the formal inauguration of the committee members, with Gufwan declaring: “By the powers conferred on me as the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, I hereby inaugurate the Sub-Committees for the PWDs Got Talent Reality TV Show 2026. Let us go and make history together.”
In his closing remarks, the Director of Social Integration at NCPWD, Mr. Lawrence Idemudia, commended DADI for its efforts towards creating opportunities for persons with disabilities to showcase their talents.
Idemudia reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to supporting the success of the initiative and called on government agencies, corporate organisations, development partners, the media and the general public to support the project.
The PWDs Got Talent 2026 initiative is expected to provide a national platform for discovering and promoting talents among persons with disabilities while advancing broader conversations around disability inclusion, representation and empowerment in Nigeria.
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