Experts have challenged the Federal Government’s outdated employment policies and employers’ unconscious biases that have long excluded persons with disabilities (PWDs) and other marginalised talent pools from the workforce.
Speaking at the launch of Nigeria’s first Lagos Inclusive Career Fair for Talents with Disabilities, organised by Blakskill in collaboration with Sightsavers at the Digital Bridge Institute, Lagos, they noted that only three per cent of persons with disabilities in Nigeria are formally employed currently, emphasising the urgent need for workplace accessibility.
Delivering a keynote titled: “Inclusive Employment Policies & Workplace Diversity,” the Chief Executive Officer of Blakskill, Michael Alasa, called for mandatory employment quotas for PWDs with the implementation of a 10 per cent employment inclusion quota in both government and private sector organisations with over 50 employees.
Alasa highlighted troubling statistics, stating that Nigeria loses over N10 trillion yearly due to the exclusion of PWDs from the workforce.
He added that less than five per cent of the over 30 million Nigerians with disabilities have access to higher education, vocational training, or employment opportunities, while unconscious biases continue to prevent employers from hiring PWDs.
“This is unacceptable. When we exclude talent, we cripple our economy, our industries, and our nation’s future,” Alasa warned.
He urged the Federal Government and corporate leaders to take decisive action in fostering inclusive employment, demanding full implementation of the Disability Prohibition Act (2018).
He emphasised the need for the government to enforce equal employment opportunities for PWDs and penalise non-compliant organisations.
Alasa also advocated financial incentives for inclusive employers, suggesting that those who commit to disability inclusion should benefit from tax rebates, grants, and subsidised training programmes.
Additionally, he stressed the importance of accessible workplace infrastructure and increased investment in upskilling PWDs in fields such as technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, and digital marketing, where physical barriers are minimal.
He challenged employers to reassess their hiring practices, noting that companies with diverse teams are 35 per cent more likely to outperform their competitors.
The Programme Officer for Economic Empowerment at Sightsavers, Gambo Yohanna, stressed that despite the growing number of skilled PWDs in Nigeria, many employers remain hesitant to hire them due to prevailing stereotypes.
He emphasised that disability should not be seen as a limitation but as an opportunity for businesses to tap into an underserved pool of talent.
Yohanna noted that with 15 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated 250 million population being PWDs, businesses embracing inclusivity could access a vast and largely untapped consumer base.
Yohanna called on organisations to review their policies, HR procedures, interview processes, and job advertisements to ensure accessibility for visually impaired applicants.
The Executive Director of SALT House, David Owumi, emphasised that the conversation around disability inclusion in the workplace is long overdue.
He stressed the importance of meeting the five per cent employment requirement set by the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Act 2018.
Owumi noted that three per cent of his company’s workforce comprises PWDs and that efforts are underway to increase that percentage.
Similarly, the Senior HR Business Partner for CWG Plc., Uchechi Placid, revealed that PWDs currently make up about two per cent of CWG’s workforce.
He said the company aims to expand this through initiatives such as the career fair, highlighting the advantages of employing PWDs, particularly their dedication and high performance.
“One of the notable benefits is the level of loyalty exhibited by persons with disabilities. Additionally, there is no limit to what they can achieve in a work environment—they can even outperform their counterparts,” Placid stated.
The fair, themed “Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” provided a platform for employers to engage with a diverse pool of professionals trained in product design, data analysis, customer service, CISCO networking, and project management.
These talents had completed intensive capacity-building programs facilitated by the Digital Bridge Institute, with many earning globally recognized certifications, including CISCO Networking.
