The federal government of Nigeria budgeted a meagre N8.2 billion for programmes and projects for persons with disabilities in the country.
An analysis of the federal budget by PWDSpotlight shows that the largest share of the budget — N2.04 billion — was allocated to awareness campaigns and policy development.
Only N1.4 billion was allocated to empowerment and skill acquisition for PWDs across the country; only N500 million was allocated to medical support specifically for persons with special needs.
Provision of assistive materials such as wheelchairs, eye glasses and walking canes got an allocation of only N1.9 billion, while construction and renovation of facilities for PWDs got N1.8 billion.
The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) says Nigeria is estimated to have over 30 million persons with disabilities, adding that up to 90 percent of PWDs are projected to live in extreme poverty.
Stakeholders have called for increased allocations for persons with disabilities in Nigeria, urging the government to stop treating budgetary allocations to PWDs as charity or handouts.
