BY: Mustapha Lawal
As governments across Nigeria continue to make commitments toward disability inclusion, many persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Niger State say the gap between policy promises and lived realities remains wide. From political appointments and employment opportunities to agricultural interventions and access to government support, disability advocates argue that inclusion in the state remains largely symbolic rather than systemic.
Their concerns raise a broader question: Can disability rights be realised without strong institutions, deliberate representation, and accountability mechanisms?
Representation Without Inclusion?
For many members of the disability community in Niger State, political participation remains one of the clearest indicators of exclusion. Muhammad Abubakar Enagi, Executive Director of the Empowerment Initiative of Persons with Disabilities, believes the numbers tell a troubling story.
According to him, out of approximately 5,000 political appointments made in the state, only six were allocated to persons with disabilities.
The only political appointments we have are one Senior Special Assistant, one Coordinator and four Special Assistants out of about 5,000 appointments, he said.
Beyond the numbers, Enagi argues that persons with disabilities remain largely absent from decision-making processes that directly affect their lives.
We are excluded from development in the state. We suffer a lot of discrimination. Nobody wants to listen to us, he added.
His concerns reflect a challenge that disability advocates across Nigeria have repeatedly highlighted: representation is not merely about occupying positions but about ensuring meaningful participation in governance.
The Employment Gap
The concerns extend beyond politics. Enagi alleged that of approximately 10,000 permanent and pensionable jobs announced by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, only about 30 positions were allocated to persons with disabilities.
According to him, attempts to advocate for greater inclusion are often met with dismissive responses. “When we raise the issue, some officials will say even able-bodied persons have not gotten enough, so how much more persons with disabilities,” he said.
Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disability leader in the state, Abubakar Musa, corroborated the claim, noting that access to opportunities often depends on persistent lobbying rather than structured inclusion policies.
We had to struggle seriously before those 30 slots were approved. We even had to defend them before they were eventually given to us, he said.
The experiences shared by disability advocates point to a recurring challenge in many parts of Nigeria, where access to opportunities often relies on personal networks and advocacy efforts rather than institutional guarantees.
Why Disability Groups Want a Commission
At the centre of ongoing advocacy efforts is the demand for the establishment of a disability commission in Niger State. For disability groups, the commission is more than another government agency. It represents a potential institutional framework for addressing long-standing challenges affecting persons with disabilities.
Enagi recalled that disability advocates have continued to engage government officials on the issue since the 2023 elections. According to him, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago reiterated his commitment to establishing the commission during a 2025 agricultural intervention programme in Minna.
Disability groups are also advocating for the proposed commission to be situated directly under the Governor’s Office, arguing that such a structure could strengthen coordination, visibility and policy implementation.
Across the disability community, expectations remain high. Mohammed Ladan and Saba Usman from Gbako Local Government Area believe the commission could provide a platform for addressing longstanding concerns.
We will be happy if the governor establishes the commission for us. Many of our problems will be solved, they pointed.
Aliyu Hassan Hussaini from Katcha Local Government Area expressed similar optimism. “Most of our challenges will be settled when the commission is established. Our people are really suffering but we are hopeful,” he said.
For Mahmud Muhammad, a disability youth leader in Minna, the issue is about fulfilling a public commitment.
The governor promised us in September 2025 during farm implement distribution that he would give us the commission. We are still waiting, he said.
Data, Rights and Accountability
Hadiza Mohammed, Chairperson of the Albino Association of Nigeria in Niger State and Auditor of the Joint State Association of Persons with Disabilities, believes the absence of a commission has created a critical institutional gap. According to her, one of the major challenges is the lack of reliable disability data.
The needs of persons with disabilities differ. Without the commission, even the actual data of persons with disabilities in the state is not known, she said.
She argued that an effective commission would help gather data, coordinate interventions, monitor rights violations and provide a structured mechanism for addressing disability-related issues.
Her concerns reflect a broader national challenge. Across Nigeria, weak disability data continues to affect planning, budgeting and service delivery, making it difficult for governments to design evidence-based interventions.
Women and Families Bear Additional Burdens
The impact of exclusion is often felt most acutely by women with disabilities and families caring for children with disabilities. For Binta Musa, a woman with a physical disability in Minna, economic exclusion remains a daily reality.
Many women with disabilities are struggling. Some are widows, some are taking care of children and many do not have stable means of livelihood. We want government programmes to reach us too, she said.
Similarly, Zainab Ibrahim, the mother of an autistic child, described the financial and emotional pressures faced by many families. “The challenge is not only for the child. It affects the entire family. Some of us spend a lot on healthcare, education and transportation,” she said.
Their experiences highlight how disability exclusion often extends beyond individuals to entire households.
Inclusion in Agricultural Programmes
Questions have also emerged around access to agricultural interventions. Disability groups alleged that their association was listed among beneficiaries during a farm input and tractor distribution programme attended by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu in May 2026 but had yet to receive the expected allocations.
Responding to the concerns, state officials explained that some of the interventions were not free and required beneficiaries to make payments before accessing them. Officials also maintained that persons with disabilities were included among beneficiaries of agricultural support programmes implemented in the state.
The disagreement underscores a recurring concern raised by disability advocates: whether government interventions are sufficiently accessible to vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities.
When Livelihoods Are Destroyed
Perhaps one of the most striking examples of the challenges facing persons with disabilities in the state involves a cooperative farming initiative established by disability groups. According to documents reviewed, members of a disability cooperative leased farmland in the Tagwai Dam community and collectively invested resources into cultivating crops including rice, pepper and okra.
We were doing that because we did not want to continue begging, Enagi explained.
However, he alleged that repeated invasions by herders destroyed significant portions of the farm. “There were times the young Fulani boys returned at night and destroyed everything we had planted despite operating shifts to prevent them,” he said.
The group eventually petitioned relevant authorities and later received ₦500,000 in compensation, despite estimating losses of more than ₦3 million. For disability advocates, the incident illustrates how economic empowerment efforts can be undermined when vulnerable groups lack adequate protection and support.
Government Says Reforms Are Underway
The Niger State Government maintains that efforts are ongoing to strengthen disability inclusion. Hajiya Hajara Aliyu, Director of Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, said consultations had been conducted to review the state’s disability framework.
According to her, recommendations have already been forwarded to the Ministry of Justice, while a draft amendment is being prepared for consideration by the State House of Assembly.
However, findings indicate that Niger State already has a disability law. The Niger State of Nigeria Gazette No. 24, Vol. 19, dated December 2, 2014, contains provisions for the establishment of a commission for the welfare, protection and rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.
Government officials argue that amendments are necessary to align the law with current realities and the federal disability framework.
The Real Test Is Implementation
For many persons with disabilities in Niger State, the debate is no longer about promises. The state already has a disability law. Discussions around a disability commission have continued for years. Public commitments have been made by government officials.
What remains uncertain is whether these commitments will translate into tangible outcomes. The experiences shared by disability advocates reveal a familiar pattern seen across many parts of Nigeria: progressive policies exist on paper, yet implementation often falls short.
Until persons with disabilities can access employment opportunities, participate meaningfully in governance, benefit from government programmes, and enjoy the protections guaranteed by law, inclusion will remain more of an aspiration than a reality.
For thousands of persons with disabilities in Niger State, the real measure of progress will not be new promises. It will be evidence that those promises are being fulfilled.
