The Nigerian government, through the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), has launched the National Access to Work Scheme.
Nigeria made history as the first African nation to launch a workplace support program for people with disabilities (PWD).
The National Access to Work Scheme was unveiled at the NECA building in Alausa, Ikeja, and represents a strong partnership between the government and private-sector employers to boost employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
At the heart of the program is a “shared responsibility” model, where the NCPWD partners with employers to provide essential work-assistive devices, including specialized equipment, mobility aids, and digital tools.
Under the scheme, employers will receive support for reasonable workplace adjustments and assistive technology, removing traditional financial barriers to hiring and retaining employees with disabilities.
This initiative addresses some key findings from a 2019 Sightsavers labour market assessment, which identified employers’ lack of knowledge about inclusive practices as a major obstacle.
Mr. Rasak Adekoya, Economic Empowerment Global Advisor with Sightsavers, explained that the inspiration of the scheme was goti from the UK’s ‘Access to Work Scheme’.
However, the model was tailored to fit Nigeria’s unique needs and realities.
“The Access to Work Scheme is an incentive-driven initiative designed to foster collaboration between the government and private sector employers.
‘Under this scheme, employers will no longer need to allocate funds from their budgets for some reasonable adjustments or assistive technology when hiring or retaining persons with disabilities,” Adekoya added.
The initiative emerged following strong advocacy from the Nigeria Business Disability Network at the 2022 National Diversity and Inclusion Conference hosted by MTN Nigeria. Through collaborative efforts with Sightsavers and TAF AFRICA (formerly The Albino Foundation), this vision has now become a reality.
The scheme represents an important step toward addressing the high unemployment rate among persons with disabilities in Nigeria.