THE National Population Commission (NPC) says situational data mapping is essential to understanding the challenges faced by children with disabilities and to developing sustainable, inclusive, and evidence-based solutions for them.
The Chairman of NPC, Mr Nasir Kwarra, said this on Sunday in Abuja, during the launch of the Ojay Ajaifia Foundation for Children with Disabilities (OFCD), held to promote inclusion.
OFCD is dedicated to creating inclusive opportunities and amplifying the voices of children living with disabilities across Nigeria, focusing on their needs, rights, and empowerment through various advocacy and support initiatives.
Kwarra, represented by the Deputy Director of Civil Registration and Statistics, Mr Yusuf Saka, noted that in Nigeria, children with disabilities often encountered serious barriers to education, healthcare, and inclusion.
The founder of OFCD, Mrs Ojay Ajaifia, said children with disabilities were often hidden, unheard, unsupported, and face multiple layers of stigma, systemic neglect, social rejection, and other structural or attitudinal barriers.
“That realisation ignited a calling in me. This foundation rests on a simple, powerful belief, every child, regardless of disability, deserves dignity, opportunity, visibility, hope, and a chance to thrive.
“We are not merely launching a foundation; we are igniting a movement for change. Every child with a disability is a star. With support, stars can rise and shine brightly,” she said.
She urged government to enforce existing accessibility policies for persons with disabilities, noting that many public facilities lacked ramps, accessible toilets, or infrastructure for people who used wheelchairs.
She further explained the foundation was launching its data mapping programme because there’s no current, accurate data, most children captured in the previous census had now grown into adulthood.
Also speaking, the Founder of Cedar Seed Foundation, Ms. Lois Auta, stressed the significance of Education, Enablement, Empowerment, and Encouragement in shaping the future of children with disabilities across Nigeria.
She urged the government to act intentionally by allocating specific budget lines for inclusive infrastructure and services under the Federal Ministry of Education to support enrollment of children with disabilities.
Ms. Onyinyechi Eberegu, a polio survivor, expressed her story of resilience and determination, recalling how she overcame discrimination, neglect, and lack of support to become her family’s first graduate.
The event brought together stakeholders, advocates, development partners, and citizens committed to building a society where every child can reach full potential.
