Nigeria is developing a 2027 work plan to strengthen the implementation of the African Disability Protocol, with a focus on coordinated action, clear responsibilities and measurable results.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) announced this at the maiden meeting of the Disability Inclusion Technical Working Group (DITWG) in Abuja.
The NHRC Executive Secretary, Dr Tony Ojukwu, represented by the commission’s Director of Legal Services and Enforcement, Mrs Rabi Anwar, said the initiative would translate Nigeria’s disability rights commitments into practical action.
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“Today’s convening is therefore a call to action. It provides an opportunity to move beyond discussions and commitments towards the practical implementation of the ADP through clear strategies, defined responsibilities and sustained collaboration among relevant stakeholders,” he said.
Ojukwu said the working group would establish subcommittees aligned with the protocol to identify implementation gaps, draw on members’ expertise and develop targeted interventions.
The group will also prepare a 2027 work plan outlining priorities, achievable activities, measurable indicators and timelines. It will contribute to periodic reports to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, where appropriate.
Ojukwu recalled that the NHRC organised a two-day stakeholder workshop on October 8 and 9, 2024, to improve understanding of responsibilities under the protocol and other disability-related laws.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to providing secretariat support, coordinating stakeholders and monitoring the activities and recommendations of the subcommittees.
He also cited Article 34(2) of the African Disability Protocol, which provides for national mechanisms to monitor the implementation of the rights of persons with disabilities.
Ojukwu commended Sightsavers for supporting disability inclusion and efforts to integrate disability rights into the work of government ministries, departments and agencies, as well as other institutions.
He also acknowledged the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities and the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities, which co-chair the working group, alongside other stakeholders working to advance disability rights.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters, Mr Mohammed Abba Isa, represented by Mr Lanre Oloyede, said the success of disability inclusion initiatives should be measured by their impact on people’s lives.
“The true measure of our success will not be the number of meetings held or documents adopted, but the barriers removed, opportunities created, rights protected, and lives transformed,” he said.
Isa urged stakeholders to translate disability rights commitments into legislation, public policies, budgetary allocations, institutional practices and measurable outcomes.
He said the working group must move beyond consultation to become an effective mechanism for coordination and accountability.
Representing Sightsavers Country Director, Mrs Joy Tarbo reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to disability rights, inclusive development and meaningful participation.
She stressed that legislation alone could not improve lives without sustained collaboration among government institutions, organisations of persons with disabilities, civil society groups, development partners and other stakeholders.
The African Disability Protocol, formally known as the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa, provides a regional framework for protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Nigeria signed the protocol in February 2023 and ratified it in October 2023. The DITWG was inaugurated on September 10, 2026, to provide strategic direction, strengthen coordination and advance the implementation of the protocol and other disability-related laws and policies.
