Nigeria’s vast youth population holds immense potential for driving sustainable development, yet millions with disabilities remain sidelined, hampering progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Comrade Ibrahim Alhasan, National Youth Leader of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), marked International Youth Day by emphasising this untapped resource under the theme “Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond”.
His call for stronger leadership opportunities, policy enforcement, anti-stigma campaigns, and practical implementation of disability laws highlights a critical juncture where inclusion could yield significant economic dividends.
An estimated 35 million Nigerians live with disabilities, representing about 16 per cent of the population, according to the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD).
This aligns with global figures from the World Health Organization (WHO), which indicate that 1.3 billion people or one in six worldwide experience significant disabilities, a number rising due to noncommunicable diseases and ageing populations
In Nigeria, where over 60 per cent of the 220 million inhabitants are under 25, as per United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) data from 2023, youth with disabilities form a substantial cohort. The Africa Polling Institute’s 2022 National Disability Data Survey revealed that approximately 29 per cent of disabled Nigerians are aged 15-29, underscoring their role in the nation’s demographic dividend.
Barriers to education persist as a foundational challenge, limiting future economic contributions. According to a 2020 World Bank rapid assessment on disability inclusion in Nigeria, 61 per cent of youth with disabilities aged 15-24 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), compared to just 23 per cent of their peers without disabilities.<grok:render This disparity echoes global trends; the WHO notes that children with disabilities are less likely to attend school, with dropout rates as high as 50 per cent in some low-income settings.
In Nigeria, the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), conducted by the National Population Commission with support from USAID and updated in subsequent analyses, showed that only 45 per cent of children with disabilities complete primary education, versus 70 per cent nationally.
Stigma and inaccessible infrastructure exacerbate this: public schools often lack ramps, braille materials, or sign language interpreters, as highlighted in a 2024 report by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine on disability-inclusive education in Nigeria.
Employment gaps further compound poverty cycles, with profound implications for Nigeria’s economy. The World Bank’s assessment indicates that disabled individuals in Nigeria earn 30-40 per cent less than non-disabled counterparts, contributing to household poverty rates that are 15-20 per cent higher among families with disabled members.
Globally, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates that excluding persons with disabilities from the workforce costs economies up to 7 per cent of GDP; for Nigeria, with a 2024 GDP of approximately $477 billion as per World Bank data, this could translate to losses exceeding $33 billion annually.
Youth unemployment stands at 42.5 per cent nationally, per the National Bureau of Statistics’ Q4 2023 Labour Force Survey, but for disabled youth, it climbs to over 70 per cent, according to the 2022 Africa Polling Institute survey.
Alhasan pointed to underrepresentation in leadership, noting that despite appointments of persons with disabilities to roles like the NCPWD Executive Secretary, such instances remain rare, with less than 5 per cent of public sector positions held by PWDs, as per a 2024 NCPWD collaboration with the National Population Commission.
Legislative milestones offer hope, but implementation lags. The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, signed into law in January 2019, prohibits discrimination and mandates accessibility, while establishing the NCPWD in 2020.
At the state level, laws like the State Persons with Disabilities Commission Law have been adopted in 24 of 36 states by mid-2025, according to a Global Disability Fund situation analysis.
Yet, enforcement remains inconsistent; a 2025 Human Rights Watch update on Nigeria’s disability rights noted that only 10 states have fully operational commissions, leaving gaps in quota enforcement for employment and education
Nigeria’s ratification of the African Disability Protocol in June 2025, as the 15th African Union member, adds momentum, criminalising discrimination and aligning with SDGs.
Tying into SDGs, progress on disability inclusion stalls globally and locally. The United Nations’ 2025 SDG Report reveals that nearly all indicators for persons with disabilities are off track, with only 30 per cent showing progress and 14 per cent missed entirely.<
For Goal 4 (Quality Education), 63 million adolescents worldwide are out of lower secondary school due to exclusions, many disability-related, per UNICEF’s 2025 data.<
Goal 8 (Decent Work) sees labour participation 30 per cent lower for PWDs, as per ILO’s 2025 analysis.<
In Nigeria, SDG alignment through the Act supports Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), but a UN deputy chief’s June 2025 statement warned of stalled global efforts.
The UN Disability Inclusion Strategy (UNDIS), adopted in 2019, reports incremental advances, with a 2025 update noting improved representation but persistent data gaps.
Alhasan advocated for action, stating, “Disability is not inability and inclusion benefits everyone. Let us work together to ensure that every young person, with or without a disability, can contribute to building a better future.” His proposals strengthening leadership, enforcing policies, anti-stigma campaigns, and practical law implementation could unlock economic gains.
WHO estimates that investing in disability-inclusive noncommunicable disease care yields a $10 return per $1 spent.
In Nigeria, full Act implementation might reduce poverty among disabled households by 20 per cent, per World Bank projections, fostering innovation in a youth-led economy.
As Nigeria eyes 2030 SDG targets, integrating disabled youth could transform challenges into assets. European Union-funded projects in states like Benue and Delta, ongoing since 2023, demonstrate success in rights advancement, but scaled investment is essential. With 29 million African children with disabilities per UNICEF estimates, Nigeria’s leadership could inspire continental change, ensuring no one is left behind in sustainable development.
