The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has convened disability stakeholders in Abuja to strengthen the implementation of the African Disability Protocol in Nigeria, with a focus on closing implementation gaps, improving coordination and developing a comprehensive work plan for 2027.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr Tony Ojukwu, represented by the Director of Legal Services and Enforcement, Mrs Rabi Anwar, said the maiden meeting of the Disability Inclusion Technical Working Group (DITWG) was aimed at translating Nigeria’s commitments to disability rights into coordinated, practical and measurable actions.
Speaking at the meeting on October 21, 2026, Ojukwu described the gathering as a call to action, urging stakeholders to move beyond policy commitments and ensure the effective implementation of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa.
“Today’s convening is therefore a call to action. It provides an opportunity to move beyond discussions and commitments towards the practical implementation of the ADP through clear strategies, defined responsibilities and sustained collaboration among relevant stakeholders,” he said.
Nigeria signed the African Disability Protocol in February 2023 and ratified it in October of the same year. The DITWG, inaugurated on September 10, 2026, is expected to provide strategic direction, strengthen collaboration among stakeholders and advance the implementation of the protocol alongside other disability-related laws and policies.
Ojukwu said the working group would establish functional subcommittees aligned with the protocol’s provisions to identify implementation gaps and develop targeted interventions within their respective areas of responsibility. The group would also prepare a comprehensive work plan for 2027, featuring clear priorities, achievable activities, measurable indicators and realistic timelines.
He added that the working group would contribute to preparing periodic reports for submission to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, where appropriate, to support monitoring and accountability for the implementation of disability rights.
The NHRC executive secretary commended Sightsavers for supporting disability inclusion and efforts to integrate disability rights into the activities of ministries, departments and agencies, as well as other relevant institutions and organisations. He also acknowledged the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), which co-chair the working group, alongside other stakeholders committed to advancing disability rights.
Reflecting on previous efforts, Ojukwu recalled a two-day stakeholder workshop held on October 8 and 9, 2024, to strengthen understanding of responsibilities under the protocol and other disability-related legislation. He described the establishment of the technical working group as a significant step towards turning Nigeria’s legal commitments into coordinated implementation.
He reaffirmed the NHRC’s commitment to serving as the secretariat of the DITWG, coordinating stakeholder engagement and following up on the activities and recommendations of its subcommittees. He also cited Article 34(2) of the African Disability Protocol, which provides for national mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities.
In his remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters, Mr Mohammed Abba Isa, represented by Mr Lanre Oloyede, stressed that the success of the initiative should be measured by tangible improvements in the lives of persons with disabilities rather than the number of meetings held or documents produced.
“The true measure of our success will not be the number of meetings held or documents adopted, but the barriers removed, opportunities created, rights protected, and lives transformed,” he said.
Isa added that disability rights commitments must translate into legislation, public policies, budgetary allocations, institutional practices and measurable outcomes. He urged the working group to evolve beyond a consultative platform into an effective mechanism for coordination and accountability.
Also speaking, Mrs Joy Tarbo, representing Sightsavers Country Director, Joy Shuaibu, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote disability rights, inclusive development and meaningful participation.
She emphasised that legislation alone would not transform the lives of persons with disabilities without sustained collaboration among government institutions, organisations of persons with disabilities, civil society organisations, development partners and other relevant stakeholders.
The meeting is expected to strengthen partnerships among disability stakeholders and produce actionable resolutions to improve the implementation of the African Disability Protocol and other disability-related laws and policies in Nigeria.
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