*Photo: Senator George Akume *
The Federal Government has directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to comply strictly with the mandatory 5% employment quota for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) and ensure all that public buildings, transport systems, and service channels are accessible to PWDs.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, CON, gave the directive at the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities Forum held in Abuja.
Senator Akume, who was represented by a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communication, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, also declared that Nigeria has entered a new phase of full enforcement of disability rights, insisting that accessibility and inclusion are no longer optional but they are now legal requirements across all sectors.
Describing 2025 as a “historic year” for disability inclusion, the SGF noted that the five-year moratorium provided under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, signed in 2018, had elapsed. He noted that with that phase over, Nigeria has now moved from transition to full implementation of the law.
The SGF also urged the private sector to take a leading role in advancing disability inclusion, describing it as “smart economics” that boosts innovation, expands talent pools, and strengthens corporate growth.
His words: “The Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR remains firmly committed to building a Nigeria where no one is excluded from participating meaningfully in society. Ministries, Departments and Agencies must now demonstrate clear compliance with the provisions of the Disability Act, especially the mandatory 5% employment quota. Public buildings, transportation systems and service channels must be accessible to all. We can no longer afford environments that silently or openly push people away. Accessibility is no longer optional. It is the law. The era of excuses is over. Accessibility and inclusion are now the minimum standard expected across the nation.
“We also call on the private sector to step forward as partners in progress. Around the world, companies that embrace diversity and inclusion outperform their peers in innovation, retention, and customer satisfaction. Disability inclusion is not charity. It is smart economics. It expands talent pools, strengthens corporate reputation, and drives long-term growth. Nigeria’s private sector has both the influence and the capacity to lead by example.
“Today’s forum showcases the immense creativity and resilience of Persons with Disabilities across Nigeria. Whether as artisans, entrepreneurs, technologists, educators, or public servants, their talent is visible and undeniable. What they need is not pity, but opportunity. Disability has never meant inability. It simply reflects a different pathway to contribution, and that pathway must be free of discrimination, exclusion, and systemic barriers”.
The SGF emphasized that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are not seeking sympathy but access, opportunity, and fair recognition. According to him, the theme of this year’s forum, ‘Valuable, Driven, Capable’, correctly underscores the contributions of PWDs to national development.
Akume reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to build a society where no Nigerian is excluded.
The SGF insisted that disability “has never meant inability,” stressing that what PWDs require is opportunity, not pity.
He outlined three commitments necessary for real progress: employing qualified PWDs to meet the 5% quota, equipping workplaces with accessible tools and supportive environments, and empowering PWDs through leadership opportunities and support for PWD-owned businesses.
“Inclusion must be reflected in our budgets, infrastructure, hiring decisions, corporate strategies, and daily interactions,” he said. “Nigeria cannot rise fully while leaving talent behind.”
He lauded the Office of the Deputy Speaker and the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation for convening the strategic forum, coming at a moment when Nigeria stands at a major turning point in its journey towards full inclusion.