The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the rights, welfare, and dignity of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across Nigeria. This assurance was given during a strategic engagement with a delegation from the National Association for Exceptional Children (NAEC), led by its National President, Professor Julius Abiola Ademokoya.
Speaking during the meeting, the Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, commended NAEC for its decades long dedication to supporting exceptional children and promoting inclusive development. He emphasized that Nigeria’s disability population, now estimated at over 38 million persons, requires intensified collaboration among all stakeholders to strengthen advocacy, service delivery, and sustainable inclusion.
Hon. Gufwan lamented the persistent funding constraints that affect the implementation of disability programs nationwide, despite the domestication of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 in more than 20 states. He referenced global best practices such as South Korea’s disability employment quota system, which mandates compulsory inclusion while penalizing violations, noting that similar models would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s disability sector.
The Executive Secretary reiterated the Commission’s resolve to continue championing policies that guarantee accessibility, education, employment, and equal opportunities for all persons with disabilities.
> “Building a highly inclusive society is not only possible, it is necessary. We must work together to ensure that no child, no adult, and no community of persons with disabilities is left behind,” he stated.
In his remarks, NAEC President Professor Julius Ademokoya reaffirmed the Association’s readiness to work more closely with NCPWD to promote inclusive education, agricultural empowerment, and economic opportunities for exceptional children and their families. He highlighted NAEC’s long standing vision to advance learning, training, welfare, and national development through targeted support for exceptional children.
Professor Ademokoya expressed appreciation to the Commission for its logistical support during the 2025 International Disability Day activities and commended NCPWD’s leadership for consistently amplifying the voices of persons with disabilities at national and international levels.
The meeting concludes with a renewed commitment by both institutions to deepen collaboration, strengthen systemic support for exceptional children, and accelerate the building of an inclusive Nigeria where every individual, regardless of disability, can thrive.