By Adedoyin Oguntade
Former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration created a Disability Data Bank in 2020 with the goal of documenting personal information of Nigerians living with disabilities and the challenges they face. This was set up by the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters, in collaboration with the Basic Registry and Information System in Nigeria (BRISIN).
The SSA to the President on Disability Matters, Dr Samuel Ankeii, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the leadership of BRISIN, excitedly announced that the data bank was the first database of PwDs in the country’s history, and assured that it would help the government and other relevant stakeholders properly address challenges faced by PwDs.
The only ‘data’ ever published by BRISIN on the matter was a two-paragraph news report “DISABILITY DATA BANK TOOK OFF IN FCT- (BRISIN)”, published on July 7, 2020.
Post on BRISIN’s Website
After the boastful announcements, no real data has been provided for the public.The Disability Data Bank of the federal government remains another promise by the government to alleviate the plight of Persons with Disabilities. The website created for the database – disabilitydatabank.ng was inactive at the time this report was published. Social media pages created for the Disability Data Bank have also been abandoned, with only two announcement posts.
Nigeria Disability Data Bank’s X page
Nigeria Disability Data Bank’s Facebook page
An article published by the World Bank on September 29, 2020, titled: “Social inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities” details how the lack of data makes it difficult to accurately assess the needs of PWDs and develop effective policies and programs. It further gave an analysis on how it is challenging to allocate resources appropriately, address discrimination, and ensure that PWDs have equal access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. As such, it can be seen that data is important for advocacy, policy development, and resource allocation.
The article thereafter recommended, conducting a comprehensive disability survey, strengthening data collection capacity at the national and sub-national levels, ensuring data accessibility and analysis, and promoting awareness of the importance of data for disability inclusion.
Executive Director of the Centre for Disability and Inclusion Africa, Yinka Olaito, noted that the Disability Data Bank is a good initiative that is supposed to aid proper planning and help Nigeria prioritize an inclusive and sustainable society. He expressed his displeasure at the government for letting the initiative become another white elephant project with no sustainable outcomes.
In a chat with this reporter, he said, “What we have now is the initiative of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD) at the state levels trying to get data”. Nonetheless, he explained, many PWDs are still largely left behind because of the lack of enough structure.
Mr Olaito further explained that presently, data stakeholders work with an estimated figure of 35 million Persons With Disabilities in Nigeria, in the absence of an accurate specific figure from the government. Other important details needed for planning such as gender classification, how many are educated, the income and social status of these individuals, amongst other things are not known.
“Without these clear classifications of essential data, it may be impossible to plan in a holistic way that will deliver sustainable results,” he added.
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