Stakeholders have called for stronger implementation strategies and accountability mechanisms to advance disability-inclusive economic empowerment nationwide.

The call was made at a policy dialogue in Abuja focused on translating commitments into measurable outcomes.

The second dialogue was organised by the Empower to Thrive Development Initiative under its Empower Her Ability Project, supported by the Embassy of France in Nigeria, bringing together government officials, development partners and advocates.

Participants recalled that the first dialogue in 2025 recommended dedicated desks in banks and financial institutions to improve persons with disabilities’ access to microcredit and other tailored financial services nationwide.

The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Ayuba Gufwan, emphasised promoting economic empowerment, education and accessibility, particularly for women with disabilities, to enhance independence, leadership capacity and meaningful participation in development.

The Senior Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba-Isa, said Nigeria must move “from policy to measurable impact, from commitment to transformation.”

He said, “Nigeria’s prosperity will be stronger, deeper, and more sustainable when women with disabilities are fully included in our economic journey.”

He also urged the removal of barriers and discrimination limiting their participation.

The programme manager of ETTDI, Olusola Adeoye, stressed the need for coordinated policies, effective monitoring frameworks and increased investment to ensure persons with disabilities benefited meaningfully from economic empowerment programmes nationwide.

“Through the Empower Her Ability Project, ETTDI continues to play a catalytic role in advancing disability-inclusive economic empowerment in Nigeria.

She stated, “By combining capacity building, policy advocacy, and strategic partnerships, the initiative seeks to ensure that women with disabilities are equipped, supported, and positioned to actively participate.”

Pierre-Louis Bonnel of the French Embassy reaffirmed continued support for initiatives addressing challenges confronting women with disabilities and promoting inclusive economic participation through sustained partnerships and targeted development interventions.

The ETTDI Board Chairman, Ima Chima, said one in five Nigerian women lives with a disability, while up to 90 per cent live below the international poverty line.

She added that only about two per cent of entrepreneurs with disabilities accessed formal financial services, underscoring persistent structural barriers limiting economic inclusion and growth opportunities nationwide.

“These are not just statistics; they represent women whose talents are underutilised, whose businesses remain underfunded, and whose aspirations are constrained by structural barriers,” she said.

She added that the project served as an inclusive incubator supporting women aged 18 to 40 through entrepreneurship training, mentorship and improved access to financial resources.

“While we build individual capacity, we recognise that capacity alone is insufficient if systems remain exclusionary.

“That is why policy advocacy and ecosystem reform are central to our approach,” she said.
(NAN)