The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun consultations with disability organisations to strengthen the participation of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s 2027 General Election.
The Commission held a National Strategy Engagement with executive members of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) in Abuja on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
The engagement focused on targeted sensitisation and mobilisation of persons with disabilities, with particular attention to increasing voter education, Permanent Voter Card (PVC) collection and turnout ahead of the 2027 polls.
Representing INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, the Acting Chairman and National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, said the Commission was committed to an electoral process that is inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of all eligible citizens.
She said INEC would strengthen its collaboration with JONAPWD, OPDs and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that no eligible voter with disability is left behind.
According to the Commission, the participation of persons with disabilities in the electoral process is anchored on Section 54 of the Electoral Act, 2026, as amended, the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, and INEC’s Framework on Access and Participation of Persons with Disabilities in the Electoral Process.
INEC also disclosed that 137,487 persons with disabilities had been captured in its data before the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) exercise.
The figure comprises 13,080 visually impaired persons, 9,299 hearing impaired persons, 30,561 persons with albinism, 19,430 persons with physical impairment and 54,941 persons in other categories of disability.
The Commission said the figures further demonstrated the need for sustained and targeted engagement to ensure that persons with disabilities are informed, mobilised and supported throughout the electoral process.
From national strategy to grassroots mobilisation
The Director of INEC’s Gender and Inclusivity Department, Mrs Lakunuya Dorothy Bello, said persons with disabilities remain an important constituency whose voices, choices and participation are essential to an inclusive democracy.
She identified access to voter information, voter education, mobilisation and the accessibility of electoral facilities as some of the challenges that continue to affect the participation of persons with disabilities.
Bello called for sensitisation strategies that are broad in reach while remaining targeted, accessible and responsive to the different needs of persons with disabilities.
INEC said the strategies developed at the national engagement would also be replicated across the states through Resident Electoral Commissioners, Electoral Officers and other officials.
The Commission urged JONAPWD and OPDs to take ownership of sensitisation within their respective clusters and help translate the discussions into practical interventions at the grassroots.
Disability groups demand sustained engagement
Delivering the keynote address, the Executive Director of Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), Grace Jerry, called for a mobilisation model that begins with mapping disability networks and identifying priority gaps.
She urged stakeholders to reach persons with disabilities through OPD networks and accessible media channels, provide voter education in multiple accessible formats, support registration and referrals, and document barriers for escalation to INEC and JONAPWD.
According to Jerry, mobilisation should extend beyond formal disability organisations to wards, Local Government Areas, markets, campuses, faith and community spaces, as well as digital platforms.
The National President of JONAPWD, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu Usman, commended INEC for having a disability inclusion policy shaped by persons with disabilities.
He, however, called for more frequent strategic engagements, noting that one national strategic engagement would not be enough to ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities in the 2027 election.
The Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Bar. Ayuba Gufwan Burki, also highlighted mobility challenges, access to assistive devices and restricted movement during elections as barriers affecting persons with disabilities.
Burki emphasised the potential electoral influence of persons with disabilities when adequately mobilised and engaged in the electoral process.
Meanwhile, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TAF Africa, Jake Epelle, commended INEC’s efforts on priority voting for persons with disabilities but called for improved accessibility of polling units.
He also urged stronger grassroots mobilisation through OPD cluster heads across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Communique adopted
The engagement ended with the reading and adoption of a communique containing commitments and action points agreed by stakeholders ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The resolutions are expected to guide continued collaboration among INEC, JONAPWD, OPDs and other stakeholders as preparations for the election intensify.
For millions of Nigerians with disabilities, the challenge ahead is not simply getting to the polling booth. It also involves having access to information, obtaining the necessary voter documents, reaching accessible polling locations and being able to participate in the electoral process without unnecessary barriers.
The success of the 2027 inclusion efforts will therefore depend not only on policies adopted at the national level, but on how effectively those commitments translate into action in communities across Nigeria.