By Lanre Oloyede
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa, has charged state and local governments to prioritise inclusive budgeting for children with disabilities, stressing the need for deliberate provisions that address their unique needs.
Hon. Abba Isa, who was represented by his Director Media and Communications, Mr Lanre Oloyede, made the call while speaking as Special Guest at a Media Roundtable on Inclusive Budgeting for Children with Disabilities, organised by The Qualitative Magazine (TQM) with funding support from The Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN).
According to him, sub-national governments play a critical role in closing existing gaps in disability inclusion, particularly at the grassroots level where children with disabilities remain most underserved.
To ensure adequate care and inclusion, the presidential aide urged state and local governments to:
– Mainstream disability inclusion into their budgets with specific budget lines for children with disabilities;
– Allocate funds for inclusive education, assistive technologies, early childhood interventions, and special needs support services.
Hon. Abba Isa noted that children with disabilities in Nigeria remain among the most marginalised and excluded groups, facing challenges such as limited access to education, inadequate healthcare, poverty, neglect, and weak social protection systems.
“These challenges are even more pronounced at sub-national levels due to weak implementation frameworks, competing priorities, and limited understanding of disability-inclusive budgeting,” he said.
He commended The Qualitative Magazine for initiating the timely engagement and praised The Leprosy Mission Nigeria for its consistent support and long-standing commitment to disability inclusion and social justice.
Speaking further, the SSA emphasised that inclusive education is a right, not a privilege, calling for a shift from segregated systems to inclusive learning environments where all children can learn together.
“Inclusive schools promote dignity, equality, social cohesion, and mutual respect. When children with and without disabilities learn under one roof, society benefits,” he said.
Hon. Abba Isa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing the rights and welfare of persons with disabilities under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
He disclosed that his office is actively working to:
– Advocate for disability-inclusive budgeting across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs);
– Promote accountability mechanisms to track budget implementation for persons with disabilities, especially children;
– Strengthen collaboration with state governments, development partners, the media, and civil society;
– Ensure disability considerations are mainstreamed into national development plans and social intervention programmes.
He also reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing the Child Rights Act (CRA), noting that while laws are important, adequate funding, effective implementation, and strong monitoring mechanisms are essential to translating rights into reality.
“Inclusive budgeting for children with disabilities is not charity—it is a constitutional, moral, and developmental obligation. When we invest in children with disabilities, we invest in Nigeria’s future,” he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Executive Director of The Qualitative Magazine, Mr. Christian Agbo, highlighted the powerful role of the media in shaping public understanding, influencing policy priorities, and holding duty bearers accountable.
He stressed that ethical and inclusive reporting can ensure budgeting processes reflect the realities and needs of children with disabilities, adding that the roundtable was designed to strengthen journalists’ capacity to interrogate budgets and amplify marginalised voices.
“At TQM, our mission is to change narratives, challenge exclusion, and promote policies that uphold the dignity and rights of persons with disabilities. Inclusive budgeting is not charity—it is justice,” Agbo said.
In his presentation, Dr. Sunday Udo, National Director of The Leprosy Mission Nigeria (TLMN), revealed findings from a desk review of budget documents between 2023 and 2025, describing the outcome as deeply concerning.
“While there are general references to disability and social welfare, clear and intentional budget lines for children with disabilities are largely missing,” he said.
Dr. Udo warned that when children with disabilities are not clearly budgeted for, they are effectively excluded, regardless of policy intentions.
“Budgets are moral documents. They show us who counts and who remains invisible,” he stated.
He called for a shift from general promises to specific, visible, and trackable budget commitments, stressing that inclusion must be planned, costed, and monitored.
“The evidence is in the numbers. The action begins with visibility—and the media has a crucial role to play,” he added.
