The executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, speaks with SILAS EZEUGWU about the drive to enforce the Disability Act, expand access to education and employment, tackle poverty among persons with disabilities (PWDs), and his vision for a more inclusive Nigeria.
What would you describe as the Commission’s three most significant achievements under your leadership?
When I assumed office in August 2025, the Commission had only one functional office. Although there had been efforts to establish zonal offices since the Commission was created, they had not materialised. My priority was to ensure that we established zonal offices in all six geopolitical zones because enforcement of the law and advocacy cannot succeed without reaching the grassroots. In fact, I refused to attend to any other official files until that was achieved.
The second priority was education. Accessible education remains one of the biggest challenges facing persons with disabilities. We engaged the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to make its processes more inclusive. As a result, we secured waivers for candidates with disabilities, particularly in English and Mathematics, and the outcome has been encouraging. We expect this to significantly increase the participation of persons with disabilities in tertiary education.
The third area was economic empowerment through agriculture. After strengthening rights protection and education, we identified agriculture as a strategic intervention. We partnered with organisations involved in agricultural reforms, including the Nigerian Agribusiness Group (NABG), and distributed fertilisers and farming equipment to persons with disabilities to improve their livelihoods.
The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, mandates accessibility in public and private spaces. What concrete steps is the Commission taking to enforce compliance?
The Commission is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Transportation to improve accessibility across the transport sector.
In aviation, we are collaborating with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to introduce accessible ambulifts that enable wheelchair users to board aircraft with dignity rather than being physically lifted. We are also advocating the use of onboard wheelchairs to improve mobility within aircraft.
On physical and digital accessibility, the Commission has developed the Persons with Disabilities Minimum Accessibility Standards Regulations. We have completed the implementation guidelines, which are awaiting gazetting.
Once the process is completed, we will begin issuing Certificates of Compliance to organisations that meet accessibility standards. These will cover physical access, digital accessibility and disability inclusion requirements. Within the next few months, Nigerians will begin to see concrete results from these efforts.
A reliable database is essential for planning and policy implementation. What is the current status of the Commission’s database?
Frankly, when I assumed office a year ago, I did not meet any reliable database on persons with disabilities. We held discussions with the National Population Commission (NPC), which acknowledged that disability data were not properly disaggregated during the last census exercise. The available survey data could not be fully authenticated.
Although Nigeria currently lacks comprehensive and validated disability data, the Commission has engaged consultants to commence nationwide data collection. Funding remains a major challenge because such an exercise is capital-intensive, but we are making steady progress within available resources.
Pending the completion of this exercise, we rely on the World Health Organisation’s estimate of about 35.5 million persons with disabilities in Nigeria for planning and programme implementation. However, the actual figure may be higher.
How effective has the Disability Act been in improving the lives of persons with disabilities?
Before the enactment of the Disability Act in 2018, there were policies and presidential directives supporting disability inclusion, but they lacked legal force.
Today, the law guarantees rights to employment, accessibility and freedom from discrimination. More importantly, it empowers persons with disabilities to seek legal redress whenever those rights are violated.
