The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and key stakeholders in the aviation sector have reaffirmed their commitment to improving accessibility and ensuring a more inclusive air travel experience for persons with disabilities (PWDs) across the country.
The commitment was made during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting between the Project Elevate: National Aviation Accessibility Initiative and FAAN at the office of the Regional Airport Manager, International Wing, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.
The meeting, which followed an earlier assessment visit and consultations held on 5th August 2026, reviewed existing accessibility challenges within Nigeria’s aviation sector and explored practical measures to improve services for passengers with disabilities.
Speaking at the meeting, the Team Lead of Project Elevate, Comrade Abiodun Ozurumba, popularly known as Fantastic Bibi, commended FAAN for engaging stakeholders in advancing disability inclusion within the aviation industry.
She, however, identified a number of barriers that continue to hinder seamless travel for persons with disabilities, including the attitude of some airport ground handling personnel, non-functional lifts in some terminals, excessively steep access ramps and the absence of adequate communication facilities for Deaf passengers.
Ozurumba stressed the need for aviation service providers to adopt disability-inclusive policies and infrastructure that guarantee equal access to airport facilities and services.
A World Bank Consultant on Accessibility and member of the blind community, Dr Adebukola Adebayo, shared his personal experience while travelling through the airport, saying he was left beneath an aircraft for about 30 minutes despite being accorded priority status as a passenger with a disability.
He also expressed concern over the insistence by some airlines that blind community passengers must travel with an aide, even when they are capable of travelling independently.
Dr. Adebayo called for the production of an accessibility handbook to educate persons with disabilities on their rights, available airport services and procedures for accessing assistance. He also advocated the issuance of disability identification cards by the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) to curb impersonation and ensure that support services reach genuine beneficiaries.
Architect Ismail Muhammed, representing the Deaf community, highlighted communication challenges faced by passengers with Hard of hearing passengers.
According to him, many Deaf travellers have missed scheduled flights because boarding and flight announcements are made only through public address systems.
He urged airport authorities to complement audio announcements with visual display systems and sign language interpretation to ensure that critical travel information is accessible to all passengers.
Responding to the concerns, representatives of airport ground handling companies outlined measures already implemented to enhance accessibility at the airport.
The representative of Precision Aviation Handling Company Limited (PAHCOL), Oladimeji Sheriff, said facilities currently available include designated drop-off points, trolley services, priority processing by Customs and Immigration, automated entrance doors and newly acquired cabin wheelchairs designed to accommodate passengers with varying mobility needs.
Similarly, the representative of Skyway Aviation Handling Company PLC (SAHCO), Yahaya Hadi, disclosed that four staircase climbers had been deployed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport to assist passengers with disabilities during aircraft boarding and disembarkation.
He also proposed closer collaboration between airlines and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to enable airport operators receive advance information on passengers requiring special assistance.
Also speaking, the Domestic Terminal Manager of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Bashir Amir, said newly installed lifts and escalators at the airport were fully operational.
He added that accessible toilet facilities had been provided for persons with disabilities, while those complained about them, including the one at Terminal Delta will be looked at.
As part of immediate interventions, Project Elevate announced plans to donate a 70-inch digital display screen to FAAN for installation at a strategic location within the terminal to provide visual travel information for Deaf passengers.
The meeting, chaired by FAAN’s Head of Operations, Peter Nuhu, underscored the importance of sustained collaboration among aviation stakeholders in promoting equal access, removing barriers and advancing inclusive air transport in line with global best practices.
