Lagos: Nigeria’s Premier Conference has emphasized the need for the strategic inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the workforce, highlighting the value PWDs bring to employers. The conference, themed ‘The Future of Disability Inclusion in Nigeria,’ was organized by Project Enable Africa in collaboration with Jobberman Nigeria and other partners.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, stakeholders at the conference urged employers to move beyond charitable perspectives and actively integrate the estimated millions of PWDs in Nigeria into the labor market. Mr. Olamide Adeyeye, Country Head of Programmes at Jobberman Nigeria, called for the dismantling of systemic barriers that limit PWD employment and suggested the establishment of measurable, time-bound quotas for hiring PWDs. He emphasized the loyalty and unique contributions that PWDs offer in the workplace.
Mr. Olalekan Owonikoko, Executive Director of Project Enable Africa, highlighted that disability inclusion is a global challenge, affecting over one billion people worldwide, which is approximately 15 percent of the global population. He noted that in Nigeria alone, an estimated 35 million PWDs face significant obstacles such as inaccessible infrastructure and social exclusion.
Dr. Kola Olugbodi, Founding Chairman of the Society for Professional Background Screeners in Nigeria, expressed that the future of disability inclusion across Africa could be shaped through initiatives like AbilityX. He stressed the importance of creating spaces for new ideas, partnerships, and sustainable solutions through inclusive dialogue, innovation labs, and research showcases.
In his keynote address, Temi Dalley, Group Executive of Human Capital and Corporate Service at Sterling Financial Holdings, argued that the greatest untapped market in Nigeria is inclusion, not oil. Dalley stated that organizations embracing inclusion outperform their peers by attracting top talent and building resilient systems. He cited the World Health Organization (WHO), which estimates the global disability market represents $13 trillion in annual disposable income, underscoring the economic potential of strategic inclusion.
Dalley concluded that treating inclusion as a strategic imperative rather than a charitable act could unlock significant economic and innovative potential within Nigeria and beyond.