Tag: Nigerian National Assembly
Advancing Media Inclusivity Ahead of #OsunDecides2026 and Beyond: TAF Africa Convenes Media Executives, Regulators, and PWD Leaders for Reflection Meeting on Inclusive Reporting in Osun State
Oshogbo, Osun State — Wednesday, 22nd July 2026 As Osun State moves closer to a new election cycle under the banner of #OsunDecides2026, TAF Africa is working to ensure that the voices of women and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are not just heard, but meaningfully reflected in how the media covers the process — and beyond. In collaboration with the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, International Press Centre (IPC) Nigeria, and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), TAF Africa convened a Reflection Meeting with Media Executives, Regulators, and PWD Leadership on Media Inclusivity in Oshogbo, Osun State. The event brought together over 50 delegates, including senior media executives, regulators, and staff from implementing partner organisations, for a full day of dialogue, reflection, and practical skill-building. A Day of Reflection and Action The meeting opened with welcome remarks from TAF Africa, followed by a session from IPC providing an overview of the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU SDGN) programme and its partners, alongside updates on inclusive reporting practices and the Media Code of Election Coverage. Two standout interactive sessions anchored the day’s programme: “Whose Story Made the News?” — an opening exercise led by the Nigerian Women Trust Fund that challenged participants to critically examine whose perspectives are typically centred, and whose are left out, in everyday news coverage. “You Are the Editor” — an interactive editorial challenge involving all participants, designed to put media professionals in the decision-making seat and confront the real editorial choices that shape inclusive — or exclusive — coverage. Between these sessions, CEMESO led a presentation and review of the Media Inclusivity Guidelines, giving media executives and regulators a shared framework for evaluating and improving how their outlets represent women and PWDs. The day also introduced a forward-looking initiative: IPC and CEMESO jointly presented a Mentorship and Follow-up Framework for Media Houses, laying the groundwork for sustained support and accountability well beyond the meeting itself. The programme closed with an open reflections session hosted by TAF Africa, giving delegates the chance to share commitments and chart a way forward. Why This Work Matters Inclusive media coverage is not a peripheral issue — it is central to a functioning democracy. When women and Persons with Disabilities are excluded from media narratives, their concerns, candidacies, and contributions risk being excluded from public discourse and decision-making as well. By bringing media executives, regulators, and PWD leadership into the same room, this reflection meeting created space for honest conversation about current gaps and shared commitment to closing them. Inclusive media = Inclusive democracy. Together, we are making it happen. Funding and Partnership This high-level engagement was made possible through the generous support of the European Union in Nigeria, delivered through the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU SDGN) programme. TAF Africa remains committed to championing disability inclusion and driving equitable representation across every sector of public life — including the newsrooms that shape how Nigerians see themselves and each other.
Over 300 Persons with Disabilities Sensitised as TAF Africa Takes Able2Vote to Six Communities in Osun State
In six communities across Osun State, a quiet but powerful shift is underway. Persons with disabilities who have historically been sidelined at the polls are now being equipped, informed, and encouraged to claim their place in the democratic process — one conversation at a time. Between July 13 and July 17, TAF Africa’s Able2Vote campaign convened no fewer than 50 persons with disabilities at each of six venues across Osun State, reaching over 300 PWDs with direct voter education and civic sensitisation ahead of the August 15, 2026 off-cycle election and the 2027 general elections. Where the Outreach Happened # Community LGA Date 1 Alapa Ede North July 13 2 Ayiwola Iwo July 13 3 Ifelodun Ifelodun July 15 4 Ilorunshogo Osogbo July 15 5 Ireakiari Ife Central July 17 6 Iretayo Ilesa West July 17 At every stop, the message was the same: your vote matters, your voice counts, and your disability should never be a barrier to participation. Facilitators walked participants through the voting process, addressed the accessibility challenges many had faced or feared, and encouraged them to show up — not just as spectators of democracy, but as active participants in shaping it. Why It Matters Persons with disabilities are too often an afterthought in electoral planning — overlooked in accessibility provisions, undercounted at polling units, and underrepresented in political conversations. Able2Vote exists to change that story, one community at a time. By reaching over 300 PWDs in a single week across Osun State, TAF Africa is not just distributing information — it is building confidence, correcting misinformation, and reinforcing a simple truth: an election is only as credible as it is inclusive. This outreach forms part of TAF Africa’s broader Able2Vote campaign, implemented under the EU-SDGN Programme, which works to: Promote equal participation of PWDs in the electoral process Increase voter turnout among PWDs Improve the accessibility of electoral processes for PWDs Enhance political awareness and civic engagement among PWDs Strengthen accountability among electoral stakeholders Looking Ahead With the August 15, 2026 off-cycle election fast approaching and the 2027 general elections on the horizon, the sensitisation delivered in these six communities is more than an event — it is an investment in turnout, in confidence, and in a more inclusive democracy for Osun State and beyond. TAF Africa will continue to expand the reach of Able2Vote, ensuring that persons with disabilities are not just counted among the electorate, but heard, seen, and represented at the polls. Democracy becomes meaningful only when no one is excluded or left behind.
Able2Vote Brings Continuous Voter Registration to Underserved Communities in the FCT
Democracy is strongest when every eligible citizen has an equal opportunity to participate in shaping the future of their country. Yet for many persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons (IDPs), access to electoral services remains constrained by displacement, poverty, inaccessible infrastructure, limited information, and other systemic barriers. As part of its Able2Vote initiative, TAF Africa, in partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and with support from the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme, continued its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) outreach across underserved communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The outreach reached two communities whose stories reflect the realities of exclusion faced by many vulnerable Nigerians. At Alheri Village, Yangoji in Kwali Area Council, TAF Africa engaged a community of persons with disabilities who have long experienced social and economic marginalisation. For many residents, limited access to public services and civic engagement opportunities has reinforced a sense of being overlooked. The engagement sought to change that narrative by bringing voter registration services closer to the community while reinforcing an important message: every citizen matters, and every vote has the power to shape governance. Through direct community mobilisation and voter education, participants were reminded that disability should never be a barrier to exercising their constitutional right to participate in democratic processes. The outreach also extended to an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp in Wassa, home to displaced families from twelve states across Nigeria. Many residents have lived in displacement since 2014, uncertain of when—or if—they will ever return to their communities. Despite these difficult circumstances, their right to political participation remains unchanged. For residents of the camp, obtaining a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) represents more than electoral eligibility. It symbolises recognition, inclusion, and the opportunity to influence decisions that affect their lives and futures. By supporting Continuous Voter Registration within the camp, the Able2Vote initiative reaffirmed that displacement should never result in democratic exclusion. These engagements underscore a simple but powerful principle: inclusive democracy requires more than inviting citizens to participate—it requires taking democratic processes to those who face the greatest barriers. When electoral institutions and development partners intentionally remove obstacles to participation, they strengthen public trust, expand civic inclusion, and ensure that no one is left behind. TAF Africa remains committed to advancing disability-inclusive and accessible elections across Nigeria through strategic partnerships, community engagement, and sustained advocacy. With the continued collaboration of INEC and the support of the European Union under the EU-SDGN Programme, the Able2Vote initiative will continue to reach underserved communities, ensuring that every eligible citizen has the opportunity to register, vote, and make their voice count.
Taking Voter Registration to Those Often Left Behind in Kaduna and Benue
Long before election day, the tide of democracy is felt and whether it is able to carry everyone or not tells its strength or weakness. Ensuring that every eligible citizen has the opportunity to register to vote is a key marker of an inclusive democracy. For many persons with disabilities, particularly those living in underserved communities or displacement settings, the opportunity for participation is often limited by distance, accessibility challenges, inadequate information, or institutional barriers. Recognising these realities, TAF Africa expanded its Able2Vote initiative to support the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise in communities where access remains a challenge. In June, TAF Africa mobilised persons with disabilities across Kaduna State and in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Benue state. This partnership with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) extended voter registration support to these vulnerable groups under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme. Interacting with over 600 persons across both locations who came to be registered revealed that the issue is not the non-participation of vulnerable groups, but the deliberate efforts to cover the gaps that hinder full participation. Inclusion cannot depend on citizens overcoming barriers alone. Institutions must actively remove those barriers by taking services closer to the people. These engagements served as an opportunity to remind participants that political participation is their constitutional right regardless of disability or displacement. Through community mobilisation and direct engagement, TAF Africa reinforced the message that every citizen deserves an equal opportunity to influence decisions that shape their lives. Follow the #Able2Vote CVR outreach as we go to more communities within Nigeria.
Inside the Joint EU Election Hub: How TAF Africa Tracked Ekiti’s Election in Real Time
Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State — 20 June 2026 Long before the polls closed, the story of Ekiti’s governorship election was already being written — not on ballot papers, but on screens. On the morning of 20 June 2026, the Afe Babalola Civic Centre in Ado-Ekiti became the nerve centre of TAF Africa’s election observation operation. Inside, the PWD Election Hub hummed with quiet urgency: coordinators, data analysts, communication officers, and technology support personnel worked side by side, watching a steady stream of real-time reports arrive from observers stationed across 150 polling units throughout the state. A Living Picture of Election Day Each report told a small piece of a much bigger story. Submitted through the TAF Disability Hub Application (available at https://electionhub.org.ng/), observer reports captured critical data points as they happened: polling unit accessibility, the availability of assistive devices, the conduct of election officials, voter turnout among persons with disabilities, incidents of discrimination, and the provision of priority voting services. Rather than waiting until the end of the day to understand what had happened, the Hub allowed TAF Africa to see the election as it unfolded — accessibility gaps, service breakdowns, and moments of good practice surfacing in near real time, not buried in a report written days later. More Than Data Collection — A Command Centre The Hub’s role went beyond gathering numbers. It also served as the coordination centre for the 25 sign language interpreters deployed to 24 polling units across the state, enabling real-time troubleshooting, emergency communication, and swift incident management whenever an interpreter or voter needed support. This dual function — data hub and operations centre — meant that when something went wrong on the ground, it didn’t have to wait to be noticed. It could be flagged, escalated, and addressed while the polls were still open. Capturing the Full Arc of the Day To build a complete, longitudinal picture of the electoral environment, observers were instructed to submit reports at three fixed points: the opening of polls, midday, and the close of polls. This structure allowed the Hub to track not just isolated incidents, but how accessibility and voter experience shifted as the day progressed — from the first ballots cast to the final tally. By the time voting ended, 150 observer reports had been received, processed, and entered into the observation database — a complete dataset spanning every deployed polling unit in the exercise. Turning Real-Time Data into Lasting Insight The PWD Election Hub is more than a control room for a single election day. It is a demonstration of what disability-inclusive election observation can look like when technology, coordination, and clear protocols work together: a system built not just to watch an election happen, but to make sure the experiences of persons with disabilities are documented, understood, and acted on — as they happen, not after the fact. As TAF Africa continues to refine this model, the Hub stands as a template for how future elections across Nigeria can be observed with greater speed, accuracy, and accountability. This operation was carried out by TAF Africa under efforts to strengthen inclusive, credible, and evidence-based election observation in Nigeria.
Breaking the Hearing Impairment Barrier: 25 Sign Language Interpreters Deployed to Support Deaf Voters in Ekiti
Ekiti State — June 2026 Governorship Election For deaf voters, an election is often a silent struggle before it is a civic right. Instructions are shouted across polling units. Procedures are explained once, quickly, in words that never reach them. For years, this communication gap has quietly excluded persons with hearing impairments from fully and independently exercising their right to vote. In Ekiti State, that gap narrowed. Building on the success of a similar deployment in Anambra State, TAF Africa trained and deployed 25 Sign Language Interpreters (SLIs) to polling units with a significant presence of deaf voters during the Ekiti State Governorship Election — a deliberate, targeted push to remove communication barriers and make the ballot box accessible to all. Preparing the Interpreters Before deployment, the interpreters took part in a one-day virtual training designed to prepare them for the realities of the election environment. The session covered electoral procedures, voter assistance protocols, ethical considerations, communication standards, and the specific roles and responsibilities of an SLI on election day — ensuring that support at the polling unit would be not just present, but professional, consistent, and rights-respecting. Finding the Voters Who Needed Them Good intentions only translate into impact when they reach the right people in the right places. To make sure they did, TAF Africa partnered with the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN) and the Ekiti State Association of the Deaf to identify exactly where deaf voters were registered to vote. By cross-referencing INEC data with the deaf association’s own database, the team mapped registered deaf voters to specific polling units across selected Local Government Areas — turning a broad commitment to inclusion into a precise, data-driven deployment plan. On the Ground, on Election Day The 25 trained interpreters were deployed to polling units across six LGAs: Ado Ekiti, Ekiti West, Ikere, Ido/Osi, Ijero, and Oye. Of the 25 deployed, 23 successfully supported their assigned deaf voters and submitted deployment reports — a strong completion rate that speaks to both the quality of preparation and the commitment of the interpreters themselves. Their presence meant that electoral information, voting procedures, and voter education messages reached deaf voters clearly and directly — not filtered through guesswork or a well-meaning stranger’s improvised gestures, but communicated by trained professionals who understood both the language and the stakes. The Numbers Behind the Impact In total, 103 deaf voters received interpretation support across 24 polling units in the six participating LGAs. S/N LGA Polling Units SLIs Deployed Deaf Voters Reached 1 Ado Ekiti 15 14 47 2 Ekiti West 1 1 1 3 Ikere 2 2 5 4 Ido/Osi 1 1 2 5 Ijero 2 2 44 6 Oye 3 3 4 Total 24 23 103 Deaf voters reached with SLI support by LGA during the Ekiti State Governorship Election, 20 June 2026. A Precedent Worth Repeating Feedback from beneficiaries and stakeholders was consistent: the presence of trained sign language interpreters made a real difference in how deaf voters experienced the election — not as passive recipients of assistance, but as informed, independent participants in the democratic process. More than a single election-day intervention, the initiative sets an important precedent. It shows that with the right partnerships, the right data, and the right training, electoral inclusion for persons with hearing impairments is not an aspiration — it is achievable, replicable, and measurable. As TAF Africa continues to champion inclusive democratic participation, this deployment stands as evidence of what’s possible when accessibility is designed into the electoral process from the start, rather than added as an afterthought.