The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) has called for a strategic collaboration with the Nigeria Partnership for Disability-Inclusive Development (NIPDID) to address persistent gaps in programmes and services for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, made the call at a one-day NIPDID Strategic Meeting held on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, in Abuja. He was represented by the Commission’s Director of Social Integration, Lawrence Idemudia.
Gufwan said that despite progress recorded since the enactment of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, significant implementation gaps remain in education, healthcare, employment, accessibility, social protection, political participation and access to justice.
He also identified inadequate disability-disaggregated data, weak institutional capacity, insufficient funding and poor accountability mechanisms as challenges limiting disability-inclusive development.
“The existence of laws, policies and institutional structures does not automatically translate into improved lives for Persons with Disabilities. These challenges cannot be addressed by government acting alone. They require strategic partnerships, coordinated investments, technical expertise, shared knowledge and sustained collaboration among government institutions, development partners, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities, civil society and other relevant actors,” he said.
The NCPWD Executive Secretary commended NIPDID for reviewing its experience and repositioning itself to achieve greater relevance and impact.
He said the proposed 2027–2030 Strategic Partnership Framework (SPF) would move the partnership beyond information sharing to strategic coordination, aligned investments, joint initiatives and collective accountability for results.
According to him, the partnership should be guided by a “shared understanding of the roles, mandates and comparative advantages” of participating organisations, with practical and measurable outcomes.
Gufwan also called for frank and constructive discussions that would produce practical solutions, clear responsibilities and measurable commitments to improve the rights, dignity, opportunities and quality of life of PWDs across the country.
Earlier, Esther Bature, representing Sightsavers, said NIPDID was established in 2021 by three development partners: the World Bank, Sightsavers and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). She said the partnership commenced full operations in September 2022.
Bature explained that NIPDID had helped streamline development partners’ activities by promoting coordination and reducing overlaps and duplication of efforts.
She called for sustained collaboration to address persistent challenges, including exclusion, institutional capacity gaps and the lack of reliable data for planning and programme implementation.
Representatives of Christian Blind Mission Global (CBM) and the World Bank also called for effective contributions, fairness and teamwork in advancing the interests of the disability community.
The meeting’s facilitator, Dr Adebukola Adebayo, traced NIPDID’s development from its establishment in 2022 through platform development in 2023, changes in the operating context in 2025 and the strategic reflection process in 2026.
He outlined key priorities for advancing disability inclusion in Nigeria, including enforcing accessibility standards, improving employment opportunities, strengthening state-level institutions, mainstreaming disability inclusion, building reliable data systems, intensifying advocacy and public sensitisation, and promoting education and research.
Since its establishment, NIPDID has provided a platform for international development partners to exchange knowledge, strengthen collaboration, coordinate development assistance and support disability-inclusive development in Nigeria.
The meeting ended with the establishment of a committee to guide the finalisation and adoption of NIPDID’s four-year Strategic Partnership Framework.
The meeting was held under the theme, “Strengthening Strategic Partnership for Accelerated Disability-Inclusive Development in Nigeria: Conceptualizing a New NIPDID Strategic Partnership Framework (SPF) and Defining Joint Priorities with the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities.”
