The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) has called for accessible flood warning systems and greater participation of persons with disabilities in climate planning, warning that conventional emergency communication could leave vulnerable residents at risk during extreme weather events.
The association, in collaboration with the Global Disability Fund, launched a one-year project in Lagos on October 27 to promote disability-inclusive urban resilience through community-led climate innovation and accessible solutions to flooding, extreme heat and other climate-related risks.
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Lagos will serve as a pilot location for the initiative, with plans to use lessons from the project to support similar interventions in other parts of Nigeria. The programme aims to improve the safety, mobility, accessibility, participation and digital inclusion of persons with disabilities in urban governance, climate adaptation and emergency preparedness by 2027 and beyond.
Adetunde Ademefun, head of the JONAPWD National Secretariat, said persons with disabilities were often overlooked in urban planning and disaster response, despite being among those most exposed to the effects of climate-related emergencies.
He questioned the effectiveness of relying mainly on radio and television announcements to communicate flood warnings, noting that such channels may not reach people with hearing impairments.
“If a flood warning is being announced on radio, a deaf person cannot hear it,” Ademefun said, arguing that emergency communication systems must provide accessible information through multiple channels.
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He said the project would work with government agencies, civil society organisations and disability groups to identify gaps in existing climate and disaster management plans, strengthen stakeholder responsibilities and establish implementation and oversight arrangements.
The initiative will also examine whether Lagos State’s resilience strategy adequately reflects the needs of persons with disabilities and how existing government programmes can be made more inclusive.
Ademefun said disability inclusion required more than general commitments to accessibility because the needs of different disability groups vary. A facility or service considered accessible to one person may remain unusable to another.
He cited the example of public buildings with lifts and toilets that may be recorded as accessible in official assessments but lack the dimensions or features required by some wheelchair users.
“People must understand what accessibility means according to the user,” he said, calling for assessments that take account of the different needs of people with visual, hearing, physical, intellectual and other disabilities.
He added that inclusive planning should also recognise overlapping vulnerabilities, including those experienced by women and young people with disabilities. The project will seek to strengthen their representation in local institutions and urban governance structures.
Disability groups highlight climate risks
The call for more inclusive climate policies was reinforced by representatives of disability organisations who described the specific risks their members face during extreme weather events.
Solomon Okelola, president of the Deafblind Association of Nigeria, said people with combined hearing and visual impairments were frequently excluded from disaster preparedness and response. He noted that some interpreters lacked the skills needed to communicate effectively with deafblind people, making it difficult for them to receive emergency information or evacuate safely.
“Flooding is a starting point for addressing the wider challenges posed by climate change to persons with disabilities in Nigeria,” Okelola said.
Josephine Omolola, national president of the Albinism Association of Nigeria, called for targeted measures to protect people with albinism from extreme heat and harmful ultraviolet radiation.
She said prolonged exposure to direct sunlight could cause severe skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer, making access to healthcare and protective interventions particularly important as temperatures rise.
Omolola commended the Lagos State Government for supporting people with albinism through its health system, including assistance with treatment for skin conditions and skin cancer surgeries at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.
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She urged project organisers to work directly with disability groups to ensure that interventions reflect the specific needs of different communities.
Lagos authorities cite ongoing data registration
Responding to concerns about the availability of reliable disability data, Biaponu Olorunda, representing Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, general manager of the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), said the agency was conducting ongoing registration of persons with disabilities.
She said the exercise took place from Monday to Friday and that the agency had data available to support relevant requests. She added that plans were being developed to expand registration across the state in 2027.
Olorunda also said LASODA had continued to engage health ministries and agencies to improve the inclusion of disability information in health data collection, including records relating to HIV and cancer.
Babatunde Williams, national president of the Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of Nigeria, pledged support for stronger collaboration among disability organisations and other stakeholders.
The project is expected to bring government institutions, disability groups and civil society organisations together through a steering committee and technical working group to coordinate implementation and monitor progress.
Its broader test will be whether the collaboration leads to practical changes in how Lagos plans its infrastructure, communicates climate risks and prepares communities for emergencies. For persons with disabilities, accessible warnings, public facilities and evacuation arrangements could determine whether they are able to respond safely when extreme weather strikes.
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Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
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