By Lanre Oloyede
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has called on stakeholders to design and implement practical, scalable solutions to bridge the digital divide and ensure greater inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the workforce.
Speaking through his Director of Media and Communications, Mr. Lanre Oloyede, at a roundtable on Technology and Employment Inclusion in Marginalised Contexts, Hon. Abba Isa emphasized the urgent need to address systemic exclusion faced by PWDs, particularly in accessing employment opportunities.
The roundtable was convened by Jobberman Nigeria—a subsidiary of The Talent Africa Company—in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation under the Young Nigeria Works programme.
In his keynote address, the presidential aide commended the organisers and partners for what he described as a “novel and groundbreaking initiative,” aimed at expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups, including youth, women in disadvantaged communities, internally displaced persons, and PWDs.
“Few weeks ago, I had the privilege of unveiling the Disability Readiness Assessment and Workforce Toolkit—a pioneering product developed by Deaf-in-Tech and DataLead Africa. It evaluates how prepared institutions are to include PWDs in their workforce. Today’s roundtable builds on that momentum,” he said.
Reflecting on findings from the roundtable’s focal study, Technology and Employment Inclusion in Marginalised Contexts, Hon. Abba Isa urged participants to look beyond identifying barriers and focus on actionable solutions.
“Technology offers transformative potential—from job boards and social media to remote work platforms. But the digital divide continues to widen inequality for those in rural and underserved communities,” he cautioned.
Highlighting the persistent realities confronting marginalized populations, he stated:
- “Persons with disabilities continue to face systemic exclusion from employment pipelines.”
- “Displaced persons, though resilient, are often disconnected from digital resources.”
- “Young women in marginalized communities remain underrepresented in tech-driven spaces.”
The roundtable, he noted, aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration and embodies the mandate of Section 29 of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, which guarantees equal employment opportunity for PWDs.
Reaffirming his commitment to disability inclusion, the SSAP reiterated his ongoing advocacy for the full implementation of the minimum 5% employment quota for PWDs in public institutions, as enshrined in the National Disability Act. He further called for an amendment to extend this quota to the private sector.
“No qualified person with a disability should be excluded from contributing meaningfully to our economy,” he asserted.
Hon. Abba Isa concluded with a call to action: “My office remains open and ready to collaborate with all stakeholders—public, private, and civil society—to co-create an inclusive society where no one is left behind.”
