The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) on Thursday, 16th October 2025, held a meeting with delegates from the Empowering Abilities Through Inclusive Pages (EATIP) to promote inclusivity for children and young adults with disabilities.
The Empowering Abilities Through Inclusive Pages (EATIP) project is supported by the Youth Empowerment Fund (YEF) in collaboration with the School for the Blind and Zamarr Institute, Jabi, Abuja. The project is led by Praise Akobo, a disability advocate and Executive Director of YieldUp Development Initiative.
YieldUp Development Initiative is an organization focused on bridging gaps in discrimination and illiteracy among persons with disabilities through education, creativity, advocacy, technology, and therapy (ECAT). The organization also works to improve accessibility to educational materials for children with disabilities to reduce stigma and exclusion. This is in line with Nigeria’s Inclusive Education Policy and legal frameworks such as the Discrimination Against Persons with Disability Prohibition Act 2018, which promotes awareness about the rights of children with disabilities (CWDs).
In furthering their commitment, the organization is working on introducing a universal design for learning to enhance capacity building for special needs teachers. This initiative has already recorded success in Benue State and is expected to be replicated in Abuja.
During the meeting, plans were discussed regarding the launch of a new book titled “Awakening Possibilities in Disabilities,” which will be released upon the approval of the Commission. The group also requested technical support from the Commission, particularly in providing assistive devices and printing the book in braille format to make it accessible to visually impaired learners.
Executive Secretary of the Commission, Barr. Ayuba Burki Gufwan, praised the organization for its efforts, describing their work as a major contribution to improving the lives of persons with disabilities. He noted that their initiatives in producing Braille books, wheelchairs, and other mobility devices will help address some of the major challenges faced by the disability community in Nigeria.
“The job of pulling the members in the disability community out of the shackles of deprivation, marginalisation, discrimination and stigmatisation is a collective work for not just the Commission alone, but a task for everyone, given that the over 35.5 million Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria require the involvement and support of every Nigerian,” he said.
Gufwan expressed appreciation for the group’s dedication and assured them of the Commission’s readiness to provide all necessary support to help them achieve their goals. He called on Nigerians from all professions and walks of life to unite in making the country more inclusive for persons with disabilities.
The event concluded with the formal presentation of a document titled “Abilities Through Inclusive Pages” to the Executive Secretary of the Commission.