In a bold move to advance disability rights across the African continent, Nigeria has held a high-level Roundtable on the Implementation of the African Disability Protocol (ADP) in Abuja.

Jointly organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), and The Ability Life Initiative (TALI), the event marked a significant shift from policy ratification to actionable implementation.

Key outcomes of the roundtable included commitments to harmonise the 2018 Disability Act with the ADP, adopt state-level disability legislation, establish a Disability Rights Trust Fund, and launch coordinated national awareness efforts.

The roundtable brought together key actors from government institutions, civil society, and development partners to chart a national roadmap for the protocol’s implementation.

In attendance were the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr. Tony Ojukwu; Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Ayuba Burki Gufwan; the UN Resident Coordinator, represented by Ms. Ekaete Umoh, and leadership from the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and other organisations of persons with disabilities.

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba Isa sent in their representatives to the event.

The panel session, moderated by Mrs. Jenny Torhee, sparked an engaging dialogue on the gaps in Nigeria’s disability framework. Panelists included Dr. Chike Okogwu of the Centre for Ability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment (CARE); Mr. David Anyaele, Chairman, Abia State Disability Commission; Ms. Hellen Beyioku-Alase, National President, Deaf Women Association of Nigeria; and Ms. Esther Bature, Country Advocacy Coordinator, Sightsavers Nigeria.

The session raised critical issues ranging from the lack of access to interpreters in healthcare to weak state-level implementation of disability policies. The panelists collectively emphasised the need for the African Disability Protocol to move from policy to practice.

Bature particularly described the 2018 Discrimination Act as “a car” and the ADP as “its missing fuel”, underscoring the urgency of integration. TALI’s co-founders, Prada Uzodimma and Ms. Oprah Uzodimma-Ohaeri, both emphasised that the momentum must not wane.

They advocated for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder implementation committee, inclusive of government actors, OPDs, and development partners to ensure structured accountability and measurable results. They also called for greater investment in awareness campaigns and disability-inclusive legislation across all six geopolitical zones.

Ojukwu described the ADP as “a test of our national commitment to human rights,” and urged stakeholders to shift from dialogue to delivery.