LAGOS — The push to create a more inclusive digital economy for young people with disabilities received fresh momentum as the General Manager of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, joined key stakeholders at the Digital Futures Programme Inception Workshop in Lagos.
Organised by Sightsavers in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the four-and-a-half-year programme is designed to expand access to dignified and sustainable employment opportunities for young people with disabilities through digital skills development, entrepreneurship and inclusive employment pathways.
Speaking at the workshop, which is holding from 17–20 August 2026, Mrs. Oyetunde-Lawal delivered a goodwill message and stressed the importance of strategic partnerships in breaking down barriers that continue to limit the participation of young people with disabilities in the digital economy.
She reaffirmed LASODA’s commitment to supporting initiatives that enable persons with disabilities to acquire relevant digital skills, access decent employment and build sustainable businesses.
Building Skills, Jobs and Entrepreneurship Opportunities
The Digital Futures Programme will establish and strengthen IT Bridge Academies, while providing inclusive digital skills training through physical, virtual and entrepreneurial pathways.
Beyond technical training, the initiative will provide participants with access to mentorship, internships and entrepreneurship support, creating opportunities for young people with disabilities to transition from training into meaningful economic participation.
The programme will also strengthen Business and Disability Networks, deepen engagement with employers and support the advancement of disability-inclusive employment policies.
These interventions are expected to help address some of the structural barriers preventing young people with disabilities from fully benefiting from Africa’s rapidly expanding digital economy.
Stakeholders Unite for Inclusive Digital Economy
The inception workshop has brought together representatives from government, the private sector, Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), development partners and training institutions to discuss strategies for delivering the programme effectively.
The initiative is being implemented under the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy, reflecting a broader effort to expand economic opportunities for young Africans and ensure that persons with disabilities are not excluded from the continent’s digital transformation.
LASODA’s participation underscores the agency’s growing emphasis on partnerships and collaborative approaches to advancing disability inclusion, digital empowerment and sustainable livelihoods.
As Africa’s economy becomes increasingly driven by technology, the Digital Futures Programme offers an opportunity to ensure that disability does not become a barrier to accessing the jobs, businesses and opportunities of the future.
For young people with disabilities, the message from the initiative is clear: the digital future must be inclusive—and they must have a place in it.
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