Strengthening Disability Inclusion on Digitalization of Social Protection in Nigeria
Summary
New research from the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in partnership with
Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and supports from Ford Foundation finds that digitalization of social
protection programs in Nigeria has led to reduced access and inclusion of workers with disabilities. In this regard, a
multi-agency response including relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal government
is urgently required to:
• Update digital social protection platforms to meet international accessibility standards
• Offer alternatives to digital access
• Build awareness and capacity to deliver disability inclusive services among key stakeholders
• Develop digital literacy and access to assistive technologies
• Develop a policy framework to support disability inclusion in the implementation of social protection.
Without these interventions, exclusion will persist thereby increasing the prevalence of poverty among vulnerable
group, damaging the country’s economic development and risking progress towards the Sustainable Development
Goals (SGDs).
1.0 Introduction
As of December 2022, only 1,505,300 persons with disabilities were captured in Nigeria’s National Social Register
(NSR);1
representing 3.2% of the total registrants of between 462 to 503 million registrants. This shows that only
about 5% of the estimated 30 million population persons with disabilities in the country might be able to access and/or benefit from the various social protection programs provided by all levels of government. Evidently, this
indicates a very low inclusion rate of persons with disabilities in the delivery of social protection programs.
A recent study conducted by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), the umbrella
body of and for all disability organizations in Nigeria, found that the poor disability inclusion in the digitalization of
social protection constitutes a significant barrier to workers with disabilities in accessing and benefiting from social protection programs. This situation defeats the entire essence of social protection as an intervention deliberately
designed by government to reduce prevalence of poverty especially among most vulnerable populations amongst
whom are persons with disabilities in general.
Against the above backgrounds, the persistence in exclusion of persons with disabilities in use of digital tools and platforms to deliver social protection could draw-down significantly on Nigeria’s progress with achieving a number
of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Strengthening disability inclusion in the digitalization of social
protection will therefore require an approach of policy-driven coordinated multi-agency action, prompting relevant
Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal government to establish appropriate measures in this
regard.
1.1. Accessibility Issues for Persons with Disabilities:
Most of the workers with disabilities are unable to afford the very high cost of digital tools like computers, smart
phones, internet data and the various assistive technologies required to mitigate the inaccessible designs of some of
the digital platforms deployed for delivery of social protection benefits and services. They are not digitally literate and
are unable to use some of the digital tools deployed for delivery of social protection. Our research found out that
most of the available digital tools are not designed with universal standards to address the accessibility concerns of
the diverse disability spectrum. As such, persons with intellectual and development disabilities, as well as those with
visual disabilities are found to be most excluded as a result of digitalization of social protection in Nigeria.
2.0 The Current Situation
The digitalization of social protection programs in Nigeria has led to reduced access and inclusion of workers with
disabilities. Despite the awareness of several social protection programs, the use of digital tools and platforms to deliver social protection programs makes it difficult for workers with disabilities to engage with social protection
processes. This includes but is not limited to enrollment, receiving benefits and services, as well as in resolving
complaints and other grievances. Many workers with disabilities have been victims of poorly managed personal
information and data submitted during enrollment for social protection programs because they are unable to
independently enroll themselves due to inaccessible digital enrollment platforms. Similarly, workers with disabilities face difficulties with accessing social protection benefits and related services such as electronic cash transfers, online
health services, digital skills training programs, and many others due to inaccessible digital tools and platforms.
3.0. Risk Factors
Several risk factors contribute towards the poor inclusion of workers with disabilities in the digitalization of social protection in Nigeria. Low Awareness of disability inclusion issues and capacity gaps among relevant government
agencies, organizations of persons with disabilities, and mainstream civil society organizations; poor access of persons
with disabilities to digital tools and platforms such as phones, internet data, websites, bank Automated Teller
Machines (ATMs); non-consideration of disability inclusion in the design and delivery strategies adopted for social
protection programs and many more are major factors which reinforce these digital barriers. Workers with disabilities
encounter these barriers across all stages of social protection including enrollment and protection of data privacy
rights, receiving benefits and services, grievance resolution, and participation in the implementation of social
protection programs. Most recently, the JONAPWD’s study of workers with disabilities in Nigeria (Lagos, Jigawa
and FCT-Abuja) reveals the following:
• There are obvious awareness and capacity gaps among MDAs responsible for implementing disability rights
laws and social protection respectively on issues of disability inclusion in design and delivery of social protection
programs. This is one of the reasons for the low uptake of social protection programs by workers with disabilities.
• There are emerging trends of exploitation of workers with disabilities especially females in their attempt to
uptake social protection programs as a result of a near total lack of understanding on the disability rights
approaches to information security and privacy among workers with disabilities themselves, civil society
organizations and MDAs responsible for implementing disability laws and social protection in Nigeria.
• The digitalization of social protection in Nigeria has brought with it a high prevalence of digital barriers
hindering access of workers with disabilities to social protection programs. This is so because digital
technologies deployed for social protection in Nigeria are mostly not in compliance with relevant accessibility
and assistive standards.
• Digitalization of social protection is raising the risk of exclusion of workers with disabilities from enjoying
social protection benefits due to non-availability of appropriate assistive digital technologies, high cost of digital
tools and services, high digital illiteracy among persons with disabilities, low internet and telephone coverage
especially in rural areas where most persons with disabilities reside, and the insufficiency of the interventions
made by government MDAs and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to increase digital access for workers with
disabilities.
• The manifestation of exclusion is more visible in persons with intellectual disabilities, amputees and blind
persons due to non-availability of appropriate assistive technologies that meet their digital needs.
• Organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) and mainstream civil society organizations have not
demonstrated sufficient strategic capacity to address gaps in inclusion of workers with disabilities in
digitalization of social protection.
• There are no real and strategic collaborations between government MDAs and organizations of persons with
disabilities towards addressing digital gaps among persons with disabilities.
4.0. The Economic Cost of Exclusion:
Nigeria has one of the highest population of persons with disabilities in the world and one of the effective ways of
mitigating the high prevalence of disability population rate is by guaranteeing inclusion and access of persons with
disabilities to social protection. As such, exclusion of persons with disabilities in general and workers with disabilities
in particular from social protection will translate to a sustained increase in the rate of disability prevalence in Nigeria,
and by extension, a higher social burden of caring for an increasing population of very vulnerable citizens.
Specifically, the exclusion of workers with disabilities from social protection will significantly reduce their socio-
economic productivity with its unimaginable negative impact on the overall economic development of the country.
Digitalization of social protection has proved to be one of the most efficient ways of increasing access for vulnerable
groups such as workers with disabilities. However, it will be very necessary to remove all digital barriers which
hinder inclusion and access of workers with disabilities to social protection. Achieving more disability inclusion in
the digitalization of social protection will contribute to a more economically prosperous Nigeria.
5.0. Five Priority Action Steps
• The Federal Government of Nigeria can take simple, immediate action to update websites and digital mobile
applications currently used to deliver social protection. These must be redesigned to meet relevant international
accessibility standards including the W3C Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).5 This will address some of the
immediate accessibility difficulties encountered by some categories of persons with disabilities especially those
with albinism, visual impairments, etc.
• The government must also consider adopting a mixed model of using both digital and non-digital means of
delivering social protection. In this regard, persons with disabilities should be given the opportunity to choose
which option is most suitable (in terms of accessibility) to them.
• Sensitization and capacity-building programs should be implemented by government, OPDs and other
stakeholders with a view to bridging awareness, knowledge and capacity gaps especially among relevant MDAs
involved in the digitalization of social protection.
• The government, in collaboration with OPDs, mainstream CSOs and the private sector should vigorously
pursue programs and interventions in digital literacy and access to assistive digital technologies for persons with disabilities. Implementation of this program should be based on needs assessment because, as shown in
the JONAPWD’s study, digital literacy prevalence rate varies across regions in Nigeria, while digital accessibility
needs also vary across the diverse disability spectrum.
• On the medium term, and for the purpose of achieving sustainability, Government should develop a
Framework, including the above priority actions, to support disability inclusion in the general implementation
of social protection including the digitalization process.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is imperative to address the challenges faced by workers with disabilities in accessing social
protection programs in Nigeria. By strengthening disability inclusion in the digitalization of social protection, we
can ensure that all individuals, including those with disabilities, have equal opportunities to benefit from these
essential programs. Collaboration among stakeholders, increased awareness, and proactive measures to enhance
accessibility and data protection are key steps towards achieving this goal.