FG orders MDAs to enforce mandatory 5% employment quota for PWDs
By Kunle Sanni –
The federal government has directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to fully comply with the mandatory 5% employment quota for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), marking a decisive push into the enforcement phase of Nigeria’s disability rights law.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, issued the directive at the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities Forum in Abuja. Akume, who was represented by Permanent Secretary Engr. Nadungu Gagare of the Ministry of Communication, said accessibility and inclusion are now legal obligations, not optional gestures.
He noted that the five-year moratorium provided under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018 had expired, describing 2025 as a “historic year” in the nation’s disability inclusion journey.
“With the transition phase over, we have entered full implementation. Accessibility is no longer optional. It is the law. The era of excuses is over,” Akume declared. He added that public buildings, transportation systems, and service channels must immediately become accessible to all.
The SGF also urged the private sector to champion disability inclusion, calling it “smart economics” that boosts innovation, expands talent pools, and strengthens long-term business growth.
“Disability inclusion is not charity. It expands corporate reputation and strengthens competitiveness,” he said, emphasising that PWDs need opportunity, not pity.
Akume stressed that disability “has never meant inability,” insisting that PWDs are asking for access, fairness, and recognition. He highlighted this year’s forum theme—Valuable, Driven, Capable—as an accurate reflection of the contributions PWDs already make to national development.
