The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has formally handed over assistive devices to children with disabilities in Nigeria.
The regional body also unveiled a broader strategy aimed at expanding access to assistive technology, promoting local production and strengthening national systems for disability support.
These are part of intensified efforts to advance disability inclusion across the West African region.
The intervention, implemented under the ECOWAS Regional Programme for the Provision of Assistive Devices to Children with Disabilities in West Africa, is the first phase of the initiative. Nigeria and Togo are beneficiaries after nearly two years of planning and implementation.
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Abuja, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Chief Ayuba Gufwan, described the occasion as one of the happiest moments of his life, saying it represented far more than the distribution of equipment.
According to him, assistive devices restore dignity, independence and opportunity to persons with disabilities by enabling them to participate fully in education, employment and community life.
“There is ability in disability,” he said. “No matter the severity of a person’s disability, with the right environment and appropriate assistive devices, everyone can contribute meaningfully to humanity.”
Gufwan noted that while an estimated nine out of every 10 persons with disabilities require one form of assistive technology or another, the overwhelming majority still lack access, leaving millions excluded from education, healthcare, employment and independent living.
He said Nigeria alone has more than 26 million persons with disabilities requiring assistive technology, with demand for quality, affordable and appropriate devices far exceeding available supply.
“Behind these statistics are children who cannot attend school because they lack mobility devices, adults excluded from employment because they do not have access to appropriate technology, and families struggling to access rehabilitation services,” he said.
The Executive Secretary announced that the Commission has established a dedicated Assistive Devices and Technology Unit to coordinate national efforts, improve service delivery and deepen collaboration with development partners.
He also disclosed that the Commission, working with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and international partners, has developed key policy instruments, including the Nigerian Priority Assistive Products List, an investment case for assistive technology and a National Assistive Technology Scale-up Plan designed to expand access across the country.
