The Federal Government has directed all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to fully comply with the mandatory five per cent employment quota for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), warning that the era of excuses for non-compliance is over.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, issued the directive at the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities Forum in Abuja. The statement was released through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga.

Represented by a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communication, Nadungu Gagare, the SGF said the government has now entered a new phase of strict enforcement of disability rights across all sectors. He stressed that accessibility to public buildings, transport systems and service channels is now a legal obligation, not an act of goodwill.

Akume described 2025 as “a historic year” for disability inclusion, noting that the five-year transition period provided under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018 has expired.

With this, he said, MDAs must show clear adherence to the law.

“The Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains firmly committed to building a Nigeria where no one is excluded. Accessibility is no longer optional. It is the law. The era of excuses is over,” he stated.

He called on the private sector to champion disability inclusion, arguing that it is not charity but “smart economics” that drives innovation, expands the talent pool and strengthens corporate reputation. “Disability has never meant inability; it simply reflects a different pathway to contribution,” he added.

Akume emphasised that PWDs are not seeking sympathy but access, opportunity and fair recognition, noting that they are already contributing to national development as entrepreneurs, technologists, educators, artisans and public servants.

He outlined three priority actions for national progress: employing qualified PWDs to meet the five per cent quota; providing accessible tools and work environments; and expanding leadership and enterprise opportunities for PWDs, including support for PWD-owned businesses.

“Inclusion must be reflected in our budgets, infrastructure, hiring decisions, corporate strategies and daily interactions. Nigeria cannot rise fully while leaving talent behind,” he said.

The SGF commended the Office of the Deputy Speaker and the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation for hosting the forum, describing it as timely as Nigeria enters a new era of full enforcement of disability rights. (GUARDIAN)