The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba Isa, has called for improved access to Sign Language interpretation in public institutions to ensure the effective participation of deaf persons in society.
Isa made the call in a speech delivered by his Director of Media and Communications, Lanre Oloyede, who represented him at the 2026 International Youth Day National Summit for Deaf and Young Persons with Disabilities and Inclusive Future Excellence Awards organised by the Abuja Association of the Deaf.
The summit, held under the theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations: Advancing Disability Inclusion and Equal Opportunities with Sign Language,” also marked Deaf Awareness Month.
Isa said communication accessibility was fundamental to the meaningful participation of deaf persons, describing Sign Language as a bridge to education, healthcare, employment, justice, information and political participation.
He urged government institutions, schools, healthcare centres, courts and organisers of major public events to make qualified Sign Language interpreters readily available.
He also called on media organisations and digital platforms to provide Sign Language interpretation, captioning and other accessible formats.
The presidential aide said disability inclusion should not be viewed as charity but as a matter of human rights, social justice, equality and sustainable development.
Isa further called for stronger implementation of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, alongside improved accessibility, inclusive education, employment opportunities, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities.
He also advocated the inclusion of persons with disabilities in decision-making, stressing that issues affecting them should be addressed with their meaningful participation.
Similarly, the National President of the Nigerian National Association of the Deaf, Mallam Haruna Muhammad Tsafe, called for the legal recognition of Nigerian Sign Language.
Tsafe said such recognition would strengthen advocacy and improve communication access for members of the Deaf community.
He noted that some countries had taken steps to legally recognise Sign Language, citing Kenya as an example, and urged stakeholders in Nigeria to intensify advocacy for similar action.
The NNAD president also called for greater attention to schools for persons with disabilities, particularly the School for the Deaf in Kuje and the School for the Blind in Jabi, Abuja.
He said the institutions required adequate support to provide quality education and serve as models for education of persons with disabilities.
Tsafe further urged persons with disabilities to participate actively in the political process through voter education, understanding their rights and obtaining their Permanent Voter Cards.
He said political participation was important because policies and budgets determine the programmes and opportunities available to citizens.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Abuja Association of the Deaf, Ayoade Beyioku-Alase, urged government and private organisations to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their programmes and activities.
Beyioku-Alase particularly called for Sign Language interpretation during television programmes and news broadcasts to ensure that deaf persons had equal access to information.
He said the Deaf community should not be sidelined, stressing that persons with disabilities were citizens who deserved equal rights and opportunities.
The chairman urged stakeholders to recognise the capacity of persons with disabilities and create an environment where they could contribute meaningfully to national development.
The summit brought together deaf persons, young persons with disabilities and other stakeholders to discuss disability inclusion, equal opportunities, leadership, communication access and participation in national development.