The Centre for Information Technology and Development has said that persons with disabilities in Nigeria continue to encounter significant barriers in accessing digital services despite legal provisions guaranteeing their rights.
The organisation made the observation on Thursday during a one-day workshop that brought together different disability groups to discuss their online accessibility needs and challenges.
The workshop was organised by CITAD with support from the Association for Progressive Communications under the Campaign for Improved Accessibility of Government Websites and Portals project.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of CITAD, Malam Y.Z. Ya’u, represented by the Senior Programme Officer of the centre, Isah Garba, said many persons with disabilities were still excluded from digital services due to inaccessible website designs, the high cost of assistive technologies and poor internet connectivity.
According to him, weak implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, has continued to deny many persons with disabilities equal access to online services.
“Persons with disabilities in Nigeria face significant digital barriers, including poor website design lacking screen-reader compatibility, high costs for assistive devices and unreliable internet services.
“Many Nigerian websites, including critical government and public service portals, lack alt text for images, proper heading structures and keyboard-only navigation, making them unusable for blind or visually impaired users,” he said.
Also speaking, CITAD’s Coordinator for Persons with Disabilities, Hamza Aminu Fagge, said the Campaign for Improved Accessibility of Government Websites and Portals was designed to address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities when accessing online services.
He said the project sought to generate evidence on the accessibility gaps in government websites and engage relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with recognised accessibility standards.
According to him, CITAD has continued to work with disability groups and government institutions to promote inclusive digital spaces where persons with disabilities can access information and services without discrimination.
“The CIAGOP project is aimed at drawing attention to the real challenges persons with disabilities face when accessing government websites and online platforms.
“Through this initiative, we are engaging stakeholders and advocating improved compliance with accessibility standards to ensure that no one is left behind in the digital space,” Fagge said.
He added that findings from engagements with disability groups revealed that many government websites remained difficult or impossible for some persons with disabilities to use, thereby limiting access to critical public services and information.
Participants at the workshop called for improved compliance with accessibility standards on government websites and urged relevant authorities to ensure that digital services are accessible and inclusive for all citizens regardless of disability.
