Commission Seeks Inclusion of PWD Entrepreneurs in Trade, Industrialisation, Creative Economy and CANEX WKND 2026
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) are exploring a strategic partnership to expand economic opportunities for persons with disabilities (PWDs) across Nigeria’s trade, industrialisation, entrepreneurship and creative economy sectors.
The proposed collaboration emerged during a courtesy visit by the Commission to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hon. Jumoke Oduwole, at her office in Abuja. Discussions focused on strengthening disability inclusion in the Ministry’s programmes and ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to opportunities in trade, investment, enterprise development and the creative industries.
Leading the Commission’s delegation, the Executive Secretary of NCPWD, Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, represented by the Commission’s Director of Social Integration, Lawrence Idemudia, said the visit was aimed at establishing an institutional partnership that would promote inclusive economic growth and create sustainable opportunities for Nigerians with disabilities.
He highlighted the need to integrate PWDs into the Ministry’s initiatives, particularly the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND) 2026, a platform for showcasing creative talent, promoting trade and expanding market access.
Idemudia also noted that the Commission was already collaborating with Peace for Humanity Foundation and Discovering Ability in Disability Initiative (DADI) on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, empowerment and creative industry development for persons with disabilities.
He commended the Minister for her role in advancing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in industrialisation, the growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and trade expansion.
According to him, the proposed partnership aligns with NCPWD’s statutory mandate under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, which provides the legal framework for protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of persons with disabilities in Nigeria.
Disability Inclusion Is Economic Inclusion
The Executive Secretary stressed that disability inclusion should be recognised as an economic priority rather than a charitable intervention.
“Fifteen per cent of Nigeria’s population who are persons with disabilities cannot be left out of trade and industrialisation plans. When PWDs are excluded, Nigeria loses an estimated 5–7 per cent of its GDP potential annually due to exclusion from productive work and business. Global data shows that companies with disability-inclusive workforces have higher productivity and market access,” he stated.
Gufwan further emphasised that the Commission’s objective was to unlock the economic potential of persons with disabilities by creating opportunities for them to participate meaningfully in the nation’s productive sectors.
“We are not here to ask for charity. We are here to unlock a 35.5 million-strong market of consumers, producers, and entrepreneurs through the creative industry and trade and investment strategies,” he added.
Minister Assures Commission of Support
Responding, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hon. Jumoke Oduwole, assured the Commission of her Ministry’s commitment to exploring ways to ensure that persons with disabilities benefit from its ongoing programmes and projects.
She highlighted the Ministry’s role in creating economic opportunities for Nigerians and noted that it had received recognition for its efforts in diversity, equality and inclusion.
The Minister expressed her readiness to work with NCPWD to identify practical opportunities within the Ministry’s existing initiatives that could empower persons with disabilities.
She specifically identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework as an avenue through which PWD entrepreneurs could benefit from trade opportunities, noting that the Ministry’s Trade Department could help identify relevant programmes and pathways for participation.
Oduwole also highlighted the potential of CANEX WKND 2026 as a platform for trade, investment, enterprise development and market access, expressing the possibility of extending its benefits to qualified persons with disabilities.
To translate the discussions into concrete action, the Minister directed her team, the Commission and the partners present at the meeting to establish a Technical Working Committee. The committee is expected to identify strategic areas of collaboration and develop practical measures for integrating persons with disabilities into the Ministry’s ongoing projects, programmes and future plans.
NCPWD Outlines Key Areas of Collaboration
During the meeting, the Commission presented several proposals aimed at expanding economic participation and creating sustainable opportunities for persons with disabilities.
1. Inclusive Trade and Investment Programmes
The Commission called for the formal inclusion of NCPWD and entrepreneurs with disabilities in the Ministry’s major trade, investment, business development and creative industry programmes. This would help improve access to markets, enterprise support and other opportunities within the national economy.
2. Disability Inclusion at CANEX WKND 2026
NCPWD sought the Minister’s approval for the Commission to showcase the creative talents of persons with disabilities at the creative economy window of CANEX WKND 2026.
The Commission noted that the disability community possesses significant untapped creative potential across various fields and that providing a platform for these talents would help connect creators with wider audiences, business opportunities and potential investors.
3. PWD Reality TV Talent Hunt Show
The Commission also requested the Ministry’s collaboration on the proposed PWD Reality TV Talent Hunt Show, which NCPWD is developing in partnership with Discovering Ability in Disability Initiative (DADI).
Described by the Commission as a first-of-its-kind national reality television talent hunt initiative for persons with disabilities, the programme is designed to discover, train, mentor and promote talented individuals across multiple creative and innovative fields.
These include music, comedy, film and acting, fashion design, visual arts and painting, dance, culinary arts, content creation and assistive technology innovation, among others.
The initiative aims to transform talent into marketable skills, viable businesses and sustainable sources of income, reinforcing the message that ability can translate into profitability when talent meets opportunity.
4. Entrepreneurship and Empowerment Through the Farm City Project
NCPWD further sought the Ministry’s support for the proposed Farm City Project, which the Commission is developing in partnership with Peace for Humanity Foundation.
The project seeks to create opportunities for persons with disabilities in agriculture, career development and business ventures, using enterprise development as a tool for wealth creation, economic independence and poverty reduction.
The Commission expressed optimism that integrating these initiatives into the Ministry’s existing empowerment schemes and MSME development programmes would significantly expand opportunities for Nigerians with disabilities.
From Commitment to Concrete Action
The proposed NCPWD–FMITI partnership represents an opportunity to move disability inclusion beyond policy commitments and translate it into practical economic benefits.
By opening pathways to trade, investment, entrepreneurship, creative industries and agricultural ventures, the collaboration could help persons with disabilities become more active participants in Nigeria’s economic development.
The Commission maintained that inclusive economic policies must recognise persons with disabilities not merely as beneficiaries of government support, but also as entrepreneurs, innovators, producers, skilled professionals and consumers whose contributions are essential to national prosperity.
The establishment of the Technical Working Committee is expected to provide a framework for identifying priority interventions and developing actionable strategies to ensure that persons with disabilities are not left behind in Nigeria’s industrialisation and economic growth agenda.
