Jobberman Nigeria, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting inclusive access to employment for young Nigerians, with a renewed focus on persons with disabilities under the second phase of its national work transition programme – Young Nigeria Works.
This is because the organisations called on the government at all levels to strengthen policy implementation and introduce incentive-based measures, including tax rebates, to encourage employers to hire persons with disabilities, noting that inclusion is more effectively driven by rewards than penalties.
Speaking at the AbilityX Project Enable Africa inclusion event, the Country Head of Programme at Jobberman Nigeria, Olamide Adeyeye, said the initiative was designed to support millions of young people across the country to successfully transition into decent work, while addressing structural barriers that continue to limit participation in the labour market.
He said: “Sometimes, people think accommodating persons with disabilities requires significant spending, but in many cases, it comes at little or no cost. For example, what structural changes are really required to accommodate persons with albinism, or someone with speech impairment? Often, it is just small adjustments and greater awareness.
“We also want policymakers at the government level to see that this is an important conversation and to consider incentive-based approaches. For instance, as we approach new tax reforms expected in 2026, are there incentives or tax rebates for organisations that hire persons with disabilities?”
Participants living with disabilities at the event called on organisations and government to adopt more inclusive policies and accessible environments, stressing that intentional design and attitude change are critical to meaningful inclusion in Nigeria’s workplace and public spaces.
Specifically, a person with a disability, Olowu Oluwakemi, said inclusion begins with simple but deliberate actions that remove everyday barriers, while urging organisations to prioritise inclusion, noting that persons with disabilities make up an estimated 15 per cent of the population.
She said this represents not only a moral responsibility but also a significant economic and social opportunity for employers and institutions.
Oluwakemi identified attitudinal barriers as one of the major challenges confronting persons with disabilities in Nigeria, noting that many people still associate disability with illness.
She also called for improved accessibility and more inclusive policies, urging the government to review existing frameworks to better reflect the realities of persons with disabilities.
Another participant, Jessica Hyacinth, a person with albinism, described the event as eye-opening, particularly for the emphasis on real-life solutions informed by lived experiences. She said such conversations were essential for moving beyond awareness to practical implementation.
Hyacinth noted that inclusion in organisations often depends on whether individuals are considered during planning and recruitment. She explained that many people with disabilities are expected to adapt to existing systems, rather than having reasonable accommodations put in place from the outset.
She stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to disability inclusion, adding that adjustments such as improved screens, specialised devices, or accessible infrastructure should be tailored to individual needs.
Hyacinth also identified poor information and stigmatisation as major obstacles, calling on the government to involve persons with disabilities directly in policy formulation rather than expecting them to adapt to policies designed without their input.
On his part, the Executive Director of Project Enable Africa, Olalekan Owonikoko, said the organisation has put in place a structured six-month post-event engagement framework to ensure that commitments made by partners translate into concrete outcomes.
According to him, the framework will involve sustained follow-up with participating organisations to track progress, provide technical support, and address implementation challenges. He said the process will include collaboration meetings, support for innovative inclusion solutions, as well as mid-cycle and end-cycle reviews to assess impact.
Owonikoko added that the goal is to ensure that discussions and ideas generated at the event lead to real investments, expanded opportunities, and measurable improvements for persons with disabilities across workplaces and communities.
