Stakeholders at a digital policy roundtable in Abuja call for stronger digital accessibility laws to include persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.
Over 35 million Nigerians with disabilities remain digitally excluded as stakeholders push for urgent reforms to close accessibility gaps in the country’s fast-growing technology ecosystem.
Stakeholders raised the concern at a digital policy engagement roundtable in Abuja, where they reviewed Nigeria’s digital inclusion framework, identified policy gaps, and called for reforms across public and private digital systems.
They warned that weak enforcement, poor accessibility design, and limited implementation of disability laws has continued to shut millions out of digital services.
Nigeria still below 30% compliance — Sesan
Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative (PIN), Gbenga Sesan, said Nigeria’s disability inclusion compliance level remains below 30%, far behind countries with over 50% compliance.
He said many digital platforms exclude persons with disabilities PWDs, due to poor design and weak enforcement of accessibility standards, especially after system upgrades. “Technology should include more people, not exclude them,” Sesan said.
He cited examination and recruitment systems where candidates with disabilities underperformed because they lacked assistive technologies.
“Only one-third of affected candidates passed because institutions did not provide the necessary assistive technologies,” he said.
Call for systemic reform
Sesan urged government and private sector actors to embed accessibility into digital planning rather than treat it as an optional feature.
He called for the integration of assistive technologies into procurement processes and better use of the Universal Service Provision Fund to support inclusion.
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He also urged reforms in education systems, noting that many learners with disabilities remain excluded due to lack of learning support tools. “Many young people with disabilities cannot access learning tools and depend on copying notes from others,” he said.
Sesan also warned against designing disability policies without direct involvement of affected persons. “Solutions must reflect lived experience, not assumptions,” he stressed.
He rejected proposals for separate systems for persons with disabilities, adding: “Inclusion should not create further exclusion.”
Paradigm Initiative boss stressed that public institutions, including security agencies, must improve representation and responsiveness. “Representation, listening and openness to criticism drive genuine inclusion,” he said.
He added that exclusion persists even when services exist but remain inaccessible. “Placing a computer before someone who cannot use it without assistive support is still exclusion,” he said.
Policy gaps and weak enforcement — Nwobilor
Also speaking, Ihueze Nwobilor Senior Program Officer at PIN, said the roundtable brought together government officials, civil society actors, development partners, and disability groups to assess policy gaps.
He said about 35 million Nigerians with disabilities remain digitally excluded, according to the Digital Inclusion Report of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD).
Nwobilor said only 23 states have adopted the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, while 15 have established enforcement agencies.
He also highlighted exclusion during the national social register update, where many persons with disabilities could not access digital platforms. “These figures show the scale of exclusion in Nigeria’s digital systems,” he said.
Stronger enforcement
Participants called for stronger enforcement of disability laws, improved data collection, and greater involvement of persons with disabilities in policy design and implementation.
They warned that Nigeria risks widening inequality if it fails to integrate accessibility into digital governance, procurement, education, and public service delivery.
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