The Senate has begun moves to establish a National Center for Autism and six zonal centers across Nigeria to provide diagnosis, care, education, and inclusion support for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

This followed the first reading of the National Center for Autism (Establishment) Bill, 2025, sponsored by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central). The proposed law marks a significant step toward creating Nigeria’s first coordinated federal framework for autism diagnosis, research, and social integration.

Explaining the essence of the bill, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said: “Autism is not rare — it is simply rarely understood. Too many Nigerian children have been misjudged, misunderstood, or mistreated because our systems lack the knowledge and structures to help them. This bill is about changing that narrative.”

Across the country, thousands of families live with the silent struggles of autism — often without diagnosis, professional support, or public understanding. Many children are mislabeled as “stubborn” or “possessed,” while parents are left emotionally and financially drained in search of help.

The lawmaker explained that the proposed centers would provide early detection, research-based intervention, and nationwide awareness across all regions of the country.

Under the bill, the National Center for Autism will be headquartered in Abuja, supported by six zonal centers to be located in Bauchi, Kaduna, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Abuja (or another North Central city).

The centers will offer diagnostic, therapeutic, and educational services; conduct research and maintain a national autism registry; train teachers, therapists, and caregivers; promote inclusion in schools and workplaces; and lead awareness campaigns to combat stigma and misinformation.

The Abuja hub will coordinate policy implementation, ensure service quality, and drive evidence-based reforms across the zones.

While describing the bill as a compassionate initiative, Akpoti-Uduaghan also emphasized its economic rationale.
“Early intervention saves society more than it spends. When children with autism are given the right tools early, they become productive, creative citizens instead of being left behind. This is an investment in human potential,” she said.

Experts estimate that the initiative could create thousands of jobs for therapists, researchers, special educators, and caregivers, while also stimulating innovation in medical and educational technologies.

The Autism Bill aligns with Nigeria’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goals 3 and 4, which promote good health and quality education. It also reinforces the National Policy on Inclusive Education, affirming Nigeria’s pledge to leave no one behind.

According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the legislation represents “a moral and social awakening.”

“This bill is an act of justice for families who have been abandoned by the system. It is a statement that every Nigerian child, regardless of neurological difference, deserves love, opportunity, and dignity,” she said.

She urged her colleagues to expedite passage of the bill, stressing that its implementation would help Nigeria “replace stigma with science, pity with progress, and neglect with national responsibility.”

If enacted, the National Center for Autism (Establishment) Act, 2025 will position Nigeria as a continental leader in autism care, awareness, and inclusion — a major shift from silence to visibility and from sympathy to structure.