Nigeria joins Togo in the first phase of ECOWAS’ regional programme as officials say 26 million Nigerians with disabilities still lack access to vital technology.
By Danjuma AMODU
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has launched the first phase of its regional assistive devices programme in Nigeria, handing over mobility and learning aids to children with disabilities and unveiling a wider push to expand access, boost local production, and strengthen national support systems.
“There is ability in disability. With the right environment and appropriate assistive devices, everyone can contribute meaningfully to humanity.”
— Chief Ayuba Gufwan, Executive Secretary, NCPWD
The intervention is being implemented under the ECOWAS Regional Programme for the Provision of Assistive Devices to Children with Disabilities in West Africa. Nigeria and Togo are the first beneficiaries, following nearly two years of planning.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, NCPWD, Chief Ayuba Gufwan, described the event as “one of the happiest moments of my life,” saying the devices do more than aid movement.
According to him, an estimated 9 out of 10 persons with disabilities need assistive technology, but most cannot access it. In Nigeria alone, more than 26 million persons with disabilities require such devices.
“Behind these statistics are children who cannot attend school because they lack mobility devices, adults excluded from employment, and families struggling to access rehabilitation services,” Gufwan said.
Gufwan announced that NCPWD has set up a dedicated Assistive Devices and Technology Unit to coordinate assessments, procurement, and delivery.
Working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and development partners, the Commission has also developed the Nigerian Priority Assistive Products List, an investment case for assistive technology, and a National Assistive Technology Scale-up Plan.
He urged governments, civil society, the private sector, and healthcare professionals to deepen collaboration and called for local manufacturing and assembly plants to cut costs, reduce import dependence, and create jobs.
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Representing the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Barnard Doro, his Senior Technical Adviser said the donation aligns with the government’s integrated approach to humanitarian response, poverty reduction, and social protection.
“This ceremony is more than a formal exchange of items. These assistive devices represent dignity restored, independence regained and doors reopened,” he said.
ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, represented at the event, said the programme was triggered by a 2024 regional study that found severe shortages in assistive technology across West Africa. About 15% of children aged 0-17 in West and Central Africa live with a disability, the Commission noted.
Officials said the initiative aligns with ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which recognises accessibility as a fundamental human right. Future priorities include better disability data, local production partnerships, and expanding the programme to more member states.
Beneficiaries and caregivers were urged to ensure proper use and maintenance of the devices to maximize impact.
ECOWAS’ shift reflects a broader move from a trade-focused bloc to a people-centred model of regional integration. By improving access to assistive technology, the Commission says it is directly supporting the Sustainable Development Goals and the goal of “leaving no child behind.”
For Nigeria, the programme offers a critical boost to ongoing efforts to close a huge supply gap and ensure that disability is no longer a barrier to education, employment, and community participation.
