BY: Mustapha Lawal
Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda promises innovation, economic growth, and expanded access to public services. From digital identity systems and online education platforms to e-governance initiatives and financial technology solutions, technology is increasingly shaping how citizens learn, work, access services, and participate in society.
Yet for millions of Nigerians with disabilities, this digital future remains out of reach. Despite growing investments in technology and digital infrastructure, accessibility remains a secondary consideration rather than a fundamental requirement. As a result, many persons with disabilities remain locked out of opportunities that others increasingly take for granted.
This concern formed the basis of discussions at a Digital Policy Engagement Roundtable convened in Abuja on May 25, 2026, to examine policy gaps and identify practical strategies for strengthening disability inclusion within Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of the Centre for Digital Rights and Inclusion at Paradigm Initiative (PIN), Gbenga Sesan, warned that Nigeria risks deepening existing inequalities if accessibility is not embedded into its digital transformation efforts. According to Sesan, the roundtable focused on reviewing existing digital policies, identifying barriers to accessibility, and exploring ways to ensure that all Nigerians, regardless of disability, can benefit from digital opportunities.
His concerns reflect a broader reality facing persons with disabilities across the country. While technology has the potential to remove barriers, inaccessible systems often create new forms of exclusion.
“Technology should be used to include more people rather than exclude them,” Sesan said.
The challenge is not merely about access to devices or internet connectivity. It is also about whether digital platforms are designed to accommodate diverse users from the outset. For many persons with disabilities, routine software updates can suddenly make applications inaccessible. Features that previously worked with screen readers or other assistive technologies may disappear, leaving users unable to navigate essential services.
Such experiences demonstrate how exclusion can be built into systems when accessibility is treated as an optional consideration rather than a standard requirement. Sesan recalled instances where candidates with disabilities were unable to compete fairly during computer-based promotion examinations because the assistive technologies they depended on were not provided.
“Only one-third of the affected candidates passed the examinations because the necessary assistive technologies were not provided,” he stated.
The consequences of digital exclusion extend beyond examinations. They affect education, employment, healthcare, financial inclusion, civic participation, and access to government services.
When digital platforms are inaccessible, persons with disabilities are effectively denied equal opportunities to participate in society. This reality is particularly concerning given Nigeria’s disability population. According to findings presented during the roundtable, approximately 35 million Nigerians with disabilities remain digitally excluded. These figures point to a systemic challenge rather than isolated incidents.
Sesan argued that Nigeria can learn from global best practices by ensuring accessibility is integrated into technology procurement processes. Rather than treating assistive technologies as optional additions, he said accessibility requirements should be built into the procurement of digital devices, platforms, and services from the beginning. Such an approach would help ensure that public and private sector technologies are usable by everyone, including persons with disabilities.
He also called for the strategic use of the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to expand access to assistive technologies and support accessibility initiatives nationwide.
In addition, he advocated for the development of benchmarks that evaluate digital platforms based on how effectively they serve persons with disabilities.
Education emerged as another critical area requiring urgent attention. Across Nigeria, many students with disabilities continue to encounter barriers that prevent them from participating fully in learning environments. In some cases, learners rely on classmates to access notes and instructional materials because assistive technologies are unavailable.
“Many young people with disabilities are excluded from classrooms because they lack assistive technologies and often depend on copying notes from others,” Sesan said.
He noted that solutions already exist. Audio learning resources, accessible educational technologies, and other digital tools can help students with disabilities learn independently and compete on equal terms with their peers. However, these tools must be deliberately integrated into educational systems and supported through policy implementation. Beyond technology itself, Sesan emphasised the importance of ensuring that persons with disabilities participate in decisions that affect their lives.
Too often, policies are designed without meaningful consultation with those who will be directly impacted. This can result in solutions that fail to address real challenges or inadvertently create new barriers.
For Sesan, genuine inclusion requires listening to the lived experiences of persons with disabilities and incorporating their perspectives into policymaking. He rejected suggestions that disability inclusion should involve creating separate structures or systems.
“Inclusion should not be achieved by creating further exclusion,” he stated.
According to him, institutions such as the Nigerian Police Force and other public agencies must better reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. “Representation, listening and openness to criticism are necessary steps towards genuine inclusion,” he added.
His remarks highlight an important principle that extends beyond disability policy: inclusion is not achieved by designing systems for people but by designing systems with them.
Also speaking at the event, Ihueze Nwobilor explained that the engagement was organised to strengthen policies and frameworks that support the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s digital space.
“We know these conversations cannot happen independently of the people most affected by them,” he said.
Nwobilor noted that the roundtable brought together persons with disabilities, government representatives, civil society organisations, and international development partners to examine existing policies and legislative frameworks. The discussions focused on identifying both strengths and shortcomings within current systems to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind as digital development continues to advance.
The need for action is underscored by persistent implementation gaps. Although the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act was enacted in 2018 and signed into law in 2019, implementation has remained uneven across the country.
According to Nwobilor, only 23 of Nigeria’s 36 states have domesticated the law, while just 15 states have established agencies responsible for enforcing its provisions. He also highlighted challenges encountered during the digital update of the National Social Register, where many persons with disabilities were unable to participate because the platforms used for the exercise were inaccessible.
“These figures collectively paint a clear picture of what exclusion of persons with disabilities looks like in Nigeria,” he said.
The implications are significant. As government services, education, employment processes, and social protection programmes increasingly move online, inaccessible digital systems risk creating a new layer of inequality for millions of Nigerians.
In his closing remarks, Sesan cautioned against confusing availability with accessibility. Making opportunities available, he argued, means little if people cannot actually access them.
“Placing a computer before someone who requires assistive technology, while knowing they cannot use it without support, amounts to exclusion,” he said. He compared the situation to offering food to a hungry person and withdrawing it just as they attempt to eat.
The message from the roundtable was clear: digital inclusion cannot be separated from disability inclusion. If Nigeria is serious about building an inclusive digital economy, accessibility must move from the margins of policy discussions to the centre of digital development efforts.
The country’s more than 35 million persons with disabilities are not a special interest group. They are citizens, workers, students, entrepreneurs, and contributors to national development. A digital future that excludes them is not truly inclusive, and a transformation that leaves millions behind cannot be considered progress.
