The Executive Director of the Centre for Digital Rights and Inclusion at the Paradigm Initiative (PIN), Gbenga Sesan, has called for urgent reforms to Nigeria’s digital policies and systems to address the growing exclusion of persons with disabilities from the country’s digital transformation efforts.
Sesan made the call during a Digital Policy Engagement Roundtable organised to bring together key stakeholders to assess existing policy gaps and develop practical strategies for strengthening disability inclusion in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
According to him, the engagement focused on reviewing current digital policies, identifying barriers to accessibility, and exploring ways to ensure that all citizens, regardless of disability, can benefit from digital opportunities.
He expressed concern over Nigeria’s low level of disability inclusion, noting that compliance remains below 30 percent, compared to over 50 percent in some countries.
“Technology should be used to include more people rather than exclude them,” Sesan said.
He explained that despite advancements in digital technology, many persons with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in accessing digital platforms and services. He cited instances where software updates rendered mobile applications inaccessible to users who depend on assistive technologies.
Sesan also recalled cases involving candidates with disabilities who performed poorly in computer-based promotion examinations due to the absence of assistive technology tools needed to access the tests.
“Only one-third of the affected candidates passed the examinations because the necessary assistive technologies were not provided,” he stated.
Highlighting lessons Nigeria could learn from global best practices, Sesan outlined key recommendations for improving digital inclusion. He stressed that assistive technologies should no longer be treated as optional components during technology procurement processes.
According to him, accessibility requirements must be integrated into the procurement of digital devices, platforms, and services to ensure equal access for persons with disabilities.
He further urged government to leverage the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to support access to assistive technologies and establish benchmarks that assess digital platforms based on how effectively they serve persons with disabilities.
On education, Sesan emphasized the need to integrate accessibility tools into classrooms to support students with disabilities. He noted that many learners are excluded from educational opportunities because they lack access to assistive technologies and often depend on classmates for learning materials.
“Many young people with disabilities are excluded from classrooms because they lack assistive technologies and often depend on copying notes from others,” he said.
He added that audio learning resources and other accessibility tools already exist and should be incorporated into Nigeria’s education system to help students with disabilities compete on equal terms with their peers.
Sesan also stressed the importance of involving persons with disabilities in decisions that affect them, insisting that policies should be informed by their lived experiences rather than assumptions.
He rejected suggestions that persons with disabilities should be separated into distinct community structures or policing systems, arguing that inclusion should not be achieved through further segregation.
“Inclusion should not be achieved by creating further exclusion,” he stated.
According to him, institutions such as the Nigeria Police Force must better understand and reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.
“Representation, listening and openness to criticism are necessary steps towards genuine inclusion,” he added.
Sesan maintained that persons with disabilities are an integral part of society and that Nigeria must work collaboratively with them to address existing challenges.
In his closing remarks, he warned that making opportunities available without ensuring accessibility amounts to exclusion. He likened the situation to offering food to a hungry person and withdrawing it once they attempt to eat.
“Placing a computer before someone who requires assistive technology, while knowing they cannot use it without support, amounts to exclusion,” he said.
He therefore called on government, private sector actors, and development partners to prioritise disability inclusion, noting that more than 35 million Nigerians with disabilities represent a significant segment of the population that cannot be ignored.
Sesan further observed that reliable data on the number of persons with disabilities who can effectively access and use assistive technologies in Nigeria remains limited.
Also speaking at the event, Ihueze Nwobilor said the engagement was designed to strengthen policies and frameworks that promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the digital space.
“We know these conversations cannot happen independently of the people most affected by them,” he said.
Nwobilor explained that the roundtable brought together persons with disabilities, government representatives, civil society organisations, and international non-governmental organisations to examine existing policies and legislative frameworks related to disability inclusion.
He said the discussions focused on identifying strengths and gaps within current frameworks to ensure persons with disabilities are not left behind as digital development continues to advance.
Citing findings from the latest Digital Inclusion Report by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Nwobilor revealed that about 35 million Nigerians with disabilities remain digitally excluded.
He further noted that although the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act was enacted in 2018 and signed into law in 2019, implementation has remained inconsistent across the country.
According to him, only 23 of Nigeria’s 36 states have domesticated the law, while just 15 states have established the necessary agencies to enforce its provisions.
Nwobilor also highlighted challenges encountered during the digital update of the National Social Register, noting that many persons with disabilities were unable to participate because they could not access or navigate the digital platforms used for the exercise.
“These figures collectively paint a clear picture of what exclusion of persons with disabilities looks like in Nigeria,” he said.
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