By Chris Agbo
It is increasingly evident that while Nigeria’s economic reforms may have been designed to drive long-term stability, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are being pushed to the edge of survival by their unintended consequences—with little or no targeted government intervention to cushion the blows.
Following the removal of fuel subsidies in 2023, Nigerians were promised relief measures to mitigate the shock—such as the rollout of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses. But for millions of Nigerians with disabilities, those promises remain out of reach, both figuratively and literally.
“CNG buses meant to cushion the hardship are simply not accessible. No ramps, no wheelchair lifts, no consideration for our unique realities,” says a wheelchair user and disability advocate who prefers anonymity.
Beyond transport, there is no standalone, disability-focused social protection program—no cash transfer scheme, no inflation-adjusted support grants, and no policy cushioning the rising costs of living that are fast becoming unbearable.
When Inclusion Ends at the Consultation Table
The Federal Government’s recent tax reform initiative did include some level of engagement with disability groups. However, the final report glaringly excluded any provision for tax exemptions for persons with disabilities—despite the well-documented reality of the extra costs of disability in Nigeria.
This exclusion, many say, is just one more example of how inclusion ends at the consultation table, without translating into actual, impactful policies.
“We were called to speak, and we spoke. But in the final report, it’s as if our voices were deleted,” said one participant who was part of the tax committee stakeholder meetings.
The High Price of Disability in a Broken Economy
While inflation affects every Nigerian, persons with disabilities bear an extra, invisible burden. From the cost of mobility aids, to paying assistants or caregivers, maintaining modified vehicles, and managing health-related expenses, disability comes with its own economy—one that’s growing more hostile by the day.
“I use a wheelchair. I have a family to feed, aides to pay, mobility aids to maintain, and a car that enables me to work. Everything is now out of reach,” says a wheelchair user.
“A car I bought for ₦1.5 million just a few years ago now sells for ₦8.5 million. My wheelchair—my lifeline—is now so expensive due to inflation and import tariffs that I can’t afford to replace it.”
This is not an isolated story. Across Nigeria, PWDs are forced to choose between survival and mobility, between food and independence.
Compounded Challenges
Add to this already bleak reality:
- Skyrocketing healthcare costs, with few PWDs covered by health insurance schemes.
- Poorly funded and under-equipped special schools, with parents struggling to keep their children in class.
- Zero subsidized housing programs for low-income PWDs.
- Digital exclusion, with limited access to affordable assistive technologies.
- Unemployment and job insecurity, as discrimination and workplace inaccessibility remain rampant.
The reality is that while the economy burns, PWDs are being asked to survive in a system that barely sees them.
The Unheard Crisis
Nigeria boasts of being signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and even has a national disability law. But on the streets, in homes, and across the economic landscape, PWDs are being shut out of the very progress they were promised.
It’s time for a dedicated economic stimulus plan targeted at Nigeria’s over 35.5 million persons with disabilities. Such a plan should include:
- Disability-specific transport subsidies.
- Tax exemptions and utility discounts.
- Free or subsidized assistive devices and mobility aids.
- Dedicated health insurance coverage.
- Accessible housing and education support schemes.
- Targeted conditional cash transfers.
The Urgent Call
Without these urgent interventions, the country risks widening its inequality gap and reinforcing cycles of poverty, dependency, and exclusion among persons with disabilities.
“We are not asking for luxury. We are asking for fairness. We are asking for survival.”
If Nigeria is to build a truly inclusive society, economic policies must be designed with the most vulnerable at the center—not at the margins.
Until then, the fuel subsidy may be gone, but for persons with disabilities, the weight of economic exclusion remains painfully heavy.
