Nigeria’s Disability Exclusion: Human Cost of Lost Opportunities

Nigeria’s disability exclusion is costing the country valuable human resources, as millions face barriers to education, employment and healthcare, despite existing laws and growing calls for inclusion, writes Folalumi Alaran When a young Nigerian graduate with a disability secured permanent employment as an IP Network Security Engineer after completing a one-year internship, it was more than a personal career milestone. It was evidence of what becomes possible when talent is given an opportunity, professional skills are developed and employers are willing to look beyond disability. For the beneficiary of Sightsavers Nigeria’s digital skills development programme, the journey from unemployment to professional employment was not without uncertainty. After completing her training, she had initially taken up another employment opportunity but remained determined to pursue a career in information technology, the field in which she had developed her skills. She eventually joined the programme’s internship placement and, following its successful completion, secured permanent employment. Her experience illustrates a challenge that extends far beyond one graduate: Nigeria is losing valuable human resources when persons with disabilities are denied access to education, employment and opportunities to contribute to the economy. It also raises a fundamental question about the country’s commitment to inclusion: how many Nigerians are being denied the opportunity to fulfil their potential because workplaces, public institutions and social systems are not designed to accommodate them? The scale of the challenge is considerable. Sightsavers estimates that 29 million Nigerians are living with disabilities, while approximately 24 million have some form of sight loss. The organisation also estimates that 168 million Nigerians need treatment for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), highlighting the scale of health challenges that disproportionately affect vulnerable communities. These figures point to an inclusion challenge that cannot be addressed through charity or occasional interventions alone. It requires sustained investment, effective public policies, accessible infrastructure and a change in how society understands disability. The issue formed a central part of discussions at a two-day media workshop organised by Sightsavers Nigeria in Keffi, Nasarawa State, where journalists and development practitioners examined disability inclusion, eye health and the responsibilities of government, employers and the media in advancing equal opportunities. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 1.3 billion people, representing 16 per cent of the global population, experience significant disability. It identifies stigma, discrimination, poverty, exclusion from education and employment, and inaccessible health services as major contributors to inequalities affecting persons with disabilities. For Nigeria, these barriers are particularly consequential in a labour market where unemployment and underemployment already affect millions of people. The International Labour Organisation (ILO), in a 2024 study on employment and wage outcomes among persons with disabilities, found that they were less likely to participate in the labour market, faced higher unemployment and were more likely to be self-employed. The study further found that employed persons with disabilities earned an average of 12 per cent less per hour than other workers. Three-quarters of the wage difference could not be explained by variations in education, age or type of work. The findings suggest that exclusion is not necessarily a reflection of individual capacity but of structural disadvantages that limit access to employment and career progression. It is against this background that Sightsavers Nigeria’s skills development interventions assume greater significance. The organisation’s Senior Finance Officer, Fabian Tukmen, disclosed that two beneficiaries of its IT Bridge Academy had recently secured permanent employment with MTN Nigeria after completing their internship programmes, while five others were retained as contract staff by Sterling Bank. The academy equips young persons with disabilities with professional and technical skills, mentorship and opportunities to access employment. Another intervention, the Inclusion Works programme, supported by UK Aid, connects graduates with disabilities to prospective employers while helping companies develop the capacity to establish inclusive workplaces. Sightsavers also implemented the Girls Education and Skills Partnership (GESP) project in Kano and Lagos States. The project, which focused on promoting opportunities for girls with disabilities, was completed and officially closed out in July 2026. Its inclusive education programmes also promote learning opportunities for children with and without disabilities. These initiatives demonstrate the value of linking skills development with actual employment opportunities. However, the broader challenge is ensuring that such opportunities become accessible beyond individual projects and development interventions. For many persons with disabilities, exclusion begins long before they enter the labour market. It can start in schools where learning materials are inaccessible, continue through tertiary institutions where reasonable accommodation is inadequate, and extend into workplaces where buildings, recruitment processes and institutional systems are not designed to accommodate different needs. The consequences extend beyond the individuals affected. Families often bear additional financial and caregiving responsibilities, while businesses and the economy lose the contributions of people who could otherwise participate productively. Disability inclusion, therefore, is not simply a humanitarian obligation. It is an economic development imperative. This challenge is particularly evident in the implementation of Nigeria’s disability legislation. Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, established a legal framework for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities and promoting their participation in society. The Act provided a five-year transitional period for making public buildings, structures and transport facilities accessible. That period expired in January 2024. Yet, stakeholders at the Sightsavers workshop expressed concern that the existence of legislation has not translated into adequate implementation across public institutions. They pointed to inaccessible government buildings, inadequate facilities and institutional arrangements that continue to exclude people with different forms of disabilities, including persons with visual, hearing, physical and intellectual disabilities. The concern is not simply whether policies exist, but whether government institutions are complying with their provisions. For a person who uses a wheelchair, an inaccessible public building can mean being unable to independently access government services. For someone with a visual impairment, an inaccessible website or application can become a barrier to information and employment. For a person with a hearing impairment, the absence of appropriate communication support can prevent meaningful participation in public services. These are not individual limitations that society should expect people to overcome without assistance. They are institutional barriers that require deliberate intervention. The panel consequently urged journalists to move beyond reporting the passage or launch of policies to examining their implementation. Questions about accessibility standards, budgetary allocations, inclusive education, employment commitments and reasonable accommodation should become part of sustained public-interest reporting. It also called for a departure from charity-driven narratives that portray persons with disabilities primarily as helpless recipients of assistance. Instead, reporting should recognise their rights, abilities, experiences and contributions to society. Beyond employment and education, eye health emerged as another critical area requiring greater public attention. Sightsavers’ Programme Officer, Dr Joshua Ibenu, disclosed that an estimated 4.2 million Nigerians aged 40 and above were living with blindness or visual impairment, while more than one million adults were blind. He said approximately 84 per cent of blindness cases were avoidable, stressing the need for improved access to eye health services, early detection and timely treatment. The figures are consistent with the wider global concern over preventable vision loss. In its February 2026 fact sheet, WHO reported that at least 2.2 billion people globally had near or distance vision impairment, with at least one billion cases either preventable or yet to be addressed. The organisation also estimated that vision impairment accounts for annual global productivity losses of approximately $411 billion. The leading causes include uncorrected refractive errors, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. For people living with untreated eye conditions, the consequences extend beyond difficulties with sight to include interrupted education, reduced productivity, loss of employment and increased dependence on family members. The workshop consequently called for regular eye examinations and stronger public awareness to address misconceptions that sometimes prevent people from seeking treatment. Cataracts, for instance, can often be treated successfully through surgery, but fear, misinformation and limited access to healthcare services may discourage people from seeking appropriate care. The discussion also highlighted the relationship between eye health and other health conditions, including diabetes and hypertension, reinforcing the need to integrate eye care into broader healthcare services. Meanwhile, the fight against neglected tropical diseases remains closely linked to the conditions in which people live. Sightsavers’ Technical Manager for Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial Cleanliness and Environmental Sanitation (SAFE), Grace Ajege, emphasised that environmental sanitation was essential to sustaining progress in the prevention and control of NTDs. She noted that treating affected persons without addressing the environmental conditions responsible for the spread of infections could result in repeated infections. Trachoma, one of the diseases discussed, illustrates this connection. The infection can spread through contact with infected eye and nasal discharge, including through hands, clothing, bedding and flies. Repeated infections can cause permanent damage to the cornea and ultimately blindness. WHO identifies the SAFE strategy as a combination of surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness and environmental improvement, particularly better access to water and sanitation. This reinforces the argument that medical treatment alone cannot sustainably eliminate diseases whose transmission is encouraged by poor living conditions. Nigeria’s sanitation challenge remains considerable. UNICEF’s 2025 sanitation policy brief estimated that 23 per cent of Nigeria’s population practised open defecation, with the situation contributing to disease transmission and an estimated annual economic cost of N455 billion. The figures highlight the relationship between sanitation, public health and economic development. Poor sanitation, inadequate hygiene facilities and unsafe environments can undermine disease prevention efforts, particularly in communities where access to clean water and proper sanitation remains limited. The panel stressed that government investment in water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure was therefore an essential component of disease prevention and sustainable healthcare delivery. However, expanding these interventions requires more than the commitment of development organisations. Stakeholders at the workshop identified inadequate funding as a major constraint to extending interventions, particularly in underserved communities and states in southern Nigeria. They observed that development organisations increasingly require stronger partnerships with governments, including commitments to provide counterpart funding and sustain projects beyond donor-supported implementation periods. This places additional responsibility on state governments to demonstrate ownership of programmes and integrate successful interventions into their regular budgets and service delivery systems. For disability inclusion, the implications are significant. Projects that provide training, healthcare or assistive support may deliver immediate benefits, but lasting change requires institutions capable of sustaining those gains. The media, therefore, has a responsibility beyond amplifying the activities of development organisations. It must investigate funding gaps, monitor government commitments, assess the effectiveness of interventions and give visibility to the experiences of affected communities. A report about a person receiving spectacles, for example, should not end with the intervention itself. It should examine whether improved vision has enabled that person to return to school, resume employment, operate a business or participate more fully in community life. Similarly, stories about persons with disabilities securing employment should examine the workplace conditions, institutional support and reasonable accommodation that make their participation possible. Ultimately, Nigeria’s journey towards disability inclusion cannot be measured by the number of policies enacted, workshops organised or beneficiaries trained. Its success must be reflected in accessible public institutions, inclusive schools, equitable employment opportunities, improved healthcare and the ability of persons with disabilities to make independent choices about their lives. The graduate who progressed from an internship to permanent employment offers a glimpse of what inclusion can achieve. But her success should not remain an isolated example. Until Nigeria removes the barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from accessing opportunities, participating in the economy and contributing to national development, the country will continue to waste human potential. The challenge is no longer simply to recognise persons with disabilities. It is to build a society in which their rights, abilities and contributions are recognised in practice.