By Matthew Johnson

The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), in collaboration with the Global Disability Fund, has launched a two-day project to promote disability-inclusive urban resilience in Nigeria, focusing on community-led climate innovation and accessible solutions to climate-related challenges, particularly flooding, extreme heat and disaster preparedness.

Speaking during the project’s inception event, themed Advancing Disability-Inclusive Urban Resilience Through Community-Led Climate Innovation and Accessibility Solutions in Nigeria, on October 27, 2026, in Lagos, the Lagos State Chairman of JONAPWD, Mr. Lukman Salami, highlighted the importance of adequate representation and participation of persons with disabilities in government programmes and policy decisions.

He said the association served as an umbrella body for persons with disabilities and noted that 26 state disability commissions were currently in existence.

He explained that disability-related interventions must be backed by appropriate budgetary provisions and integrated into government development plans to ensure effective implementation.

Salami urged persons with disabilities to register with the relevant state authorities, explaining that registration was important for accessing government palliatives, employment opportunities and other support programmes targeted at the community.

He further called for a society that recognises the rights, dignity and varying needs of persons with disabilities, stressing that inclusion should be reflected in public policies and everyday social interactions.

He maintained that disability inclusion required deliberate efforts to ensure that all citizens could participate in community life and benefit from public services without discrimination.

“Proper registration will help government agencies identify eligible beneficiaries and ensure that available resources reach the intended recipients,” Salami said.

In his remarks, the President of the Deafblind Association (DBIAN), Solomon Okelola, said persons with deafblindness and other disabilities were often excluded from disaster preparedness and response, particularly during flooding and other climate-related emergencies.

He said conventional warning systems, including public announcements and visual alerts, were often inaccessible to persons with hearing or visual impairments, leaving them at greater risk during emergencies.

Okelola said the deafblind community was particularly vulnerable because many interpreters lacked the skills required to communicate effectively with people with combined hearing and visual impairments.

According to him, disability-inclusive disaster management must go beyond general emergency announcements to provide accessible information and practical support that enable affected persons to evacuate safely.

“Flooding is a starting point for addressing the wider challenges posed by climate change to persons with disabilities in Nigeria,” Okelola said.

Also speaking, the National President of the Albinism Association of Nigeria (AAN), Mrs. Josephine Omolola, called for targeted interventions to protect persons with albinism from extreme heat and harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Omolola explained that prolonged exposure to direct sunlight could cause severe skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer among persons with albinism.

She urged project organisers to work directly with disability groups to develop interventions that respond to the specific needs of their members.

Omolola commended the Lagos State Government for its support for persons with albinism, particularly through interventions provided by the state’s health system.

She said the state government had been supporting the treatment of skin conditions and funding skin cancer surgeries, including investigations and chemotherapy, through the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

“Rising temperatures and extreme weather conditions increase the risks faced by vulnerable groups,” Omolola said.