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Tag: PWDs in Nigeria

PRESS STATEMENT: TAF AFRICA LAUNCHES ABLE2RUN CAMPAIGN TO ADVANCE POLITICAL INCLUSION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN NIGERIA

PRESS STATEMENT TAF AFRICA LAUNCHES ABLE2RUN CAMPAIGN TO ADVANCE POLITICAL INCLUSION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN NIGERIA Able2Run – Electability Campaign Organised by TAF Africa Palm Hotel, Abuja – May 12, 2026 Democracy finds its deepest meaning not merely in periodic elections, but in the equal participation of all citizens in shaping governance and national development. A democracy that excludes millions of persons with disabilities (PWDs) from political leadership and decision-making cannot truly claim to be inclusive, representative, or just. TAF Africa is proud to launch the Able2Run – Electability Campaign to see the estimated 34 million Persons with Disability in Nigeria actively participate in politics, not only as voters, but as aspirants, candidates, elected officials, and leaders at all levels of governance. The Able2Run campaign seeks to deepen the national conversation on disability inclusion in governance and confront deeply rooted stereotypes that equate disability with inability. Disability is not incapacity. The real barriers for persons with disabilities are the structural and societal obstacles that limit participation. Across the world, history has shown that disability does not diminish leadership capacity. For perspective, the total votes secured by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election were approximately 8.8 million, a number far fewer than the estimated number of persons with disabilities in Nigeria. This comparison underscores a critical point on the strength this constituency possess. If mobilised and politically organised, persons with disabilities represent a voting bloc large enough to both influence elections, and potentially produce elected leaders at every level. Yet, despite these numbers and the potential, the political inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria remains alarmingly disheartening. TAF Africa’s recent comprehensive national studies on the political participation of persons with disabilities between 2019 and 2025 reveal a troubling pattern of exclusion and underrepresentation. The study documented over 200 persons with disabilities occupying political positions across Nigeria. However, only four persons with disabilities were found to have held elective political offices across the national, state, and local government levels within the study period. This represents less than 0.1% of all elective positions in Nigeria. More disturbing is the fact that none of these elected officials were women with disabilities, highlighting a severe intersectional gap affecting women and girls with disabilities in politics. In contrast, the study identified 213 persons with disabilities occupying appointive positions. Over 99% of positions occupied by PWDs are appointive rather than elective, with more than half (55.2%) serving as Special Advisers or Special Assistants on Disability Matters. While appointments remain important, the dominance of such positions raises legitimate concerns about tokenism rather than genuine political inclusion driven by equity, competence, and democratic participation. The research further revealed that between 2019 and 2025, only 116 persons with disabilities presented themselves as candidates for elective positions nationwide. This shows that beyond societal barriers, there is also an urgent need to inspire confidence, mentorship, political consciousness, and leadership ambition among PWDs themselves. At the national level, the rights of persons with disabilities to participate in politics are clearly protected under Nigerian law. The Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, specifically guarantees the participation of persons with disabilities in politics and public life. Section 30 of the Act provides that persons with disabilities shall be encouraged to fully participate in politics and public affairs, while the government is mandated to actively promote an environment where PWDs can participate effectively and without discrimination in public affairs, political parties, and governance processes. These protections are also reinforced by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees freedom from discrimination, freedom of association, freedom of expression, and the right of every citizen to participate in public life and governance. Nigeria’s obligations do not end at the national level. Internationally, Nigeria is a State Party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), one of the most important global instruments protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. Article 29 of the Convention clearly guarantees the rights of persons with disabilities to vote, to be elected, to hold public office, and to participate fully in political and public life on an equal basis with others. The Convention further requires governments to ensure accessible electoral systems, accessible voting materials, inclusive political processes, and active participation of persons with disabilities in political parties and public administration. Nigeria, having ratified this Convention, carries both a moral and legal obligation to ensure these rights become realities rather than aspirations. Unfortunately, significant barriers continue to hinder the political participation of persons with disabilities in Nigeria. These include inaccessible polling units and meeting venues, discriminatory attitudes and stereotypes, poverty and lack of financial resources, communication barriers arising from inaccessible information formats, and exclusion within political party structures. Equally concerning is the inadequacy of disability-disaggregated electoral data. Current information from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly reflects fewer than 100,000 registered voters with disability data. This grossly underrepresents the true voting population of persons with disabilities in Nigeria and undermines effective planning for inclusive elections. Political parties also continue to fall short in ensuring full inclusion. TAF Africa’s Political Inclusion Index assessment of major political parties in Nigeria showed that most parties operate only at a moderate or limited level of disability inclusion. While some progress has been recorded, only one of the assessed parties achieved a high inclusion rating. This demonstrates that significant work remains to ensure disability inclusion becomes institutionalised within party structures, policies, and electoral processes. In response to these realities, TAF Africa has opened a national mentorship and coaching programme for aspiring politicians with disabilities interested in contesting elective offices at all levels, including councillorship, chairmanship, State Houses of Assembly, governorships, National Assembly seats, and the Presidency.  This initiative is supported by the European Union, under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme. Through this programme, TAF Africa intends to establish virtual political incubation hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and provide mentorship support to at least 180 aspiring politicians

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TAF Africa Launches Able2Run Electability Campaign: A Call To Persons With Disabilities To Contest For Office Ahead of Nigeria Decides 2027

TAF Africa Launches Able2Run Electability Campaign A Call To Persons With Disabilities To Contest For Office Ahead of Nigeria Decides 2027 https://youtu.be/r6rJzCLba7s On Tuesday, May 12th, 2026, TAF Africa, supported by the European Union through its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme formally launched the Able2Run Electability Campaign at Press Conference in Abuja, Nigeria. The Able2Run Electability Campaign aims to see the estimated 34 million PWDs in Nigeria actively participate in politics, not only as voters, but as aspirants, elected officials, and leaders at all levels of governance. Our campaign aims to dismantle the stereotype that ‘disability equals inability’ and to move persons with disabilities from the margins to the center of democratic leadership. We urge persons with disabilities (PWDs) to run for office and reject self-doubt; for political parties to adopt inclusion policies, waive nomination fees for PWDs, and make materials accessible in braille, large print, and audio, and INEC to enforce disability inclusion guidelines and update its voter register with accurate disability-disaggregated data. Register for the Political Leadership Programme (PLP) for PWDs. Our Political Leadership Program (PLP) for PWDs stands part of our collection of flagship campaigns in Inclusive Elections and Governance. It is a national mentorship and coaching programme for aspiring politicians with disabilities interested in contesting elective offices at all levels. We will be establishing virtual political incubation hubs across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and provide mentorship support to at least 180 aspiring politicians with disabilities. If you a person with disability and are passionate about doing your part to transform Nigerian society for the better, to put your commitment on the table for a better future for Nigerian children of all demographics, visit this link: https://tafafrica.co/abletorun-electability-campaign/ and register at the bottom of the page. Moving Forward, more work needs to be done, more people need to be reached, the net needs to widened, and we need more inclusive participation in elections in Nigeria and Africa at large. You can support TAF Africa’s work through donations on our website, volunteering, and sharing our work to your network. 🔗 Support TAF Africa.

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A Journey Of Rights and Disability Inclusion

A Journey Of Rights and Disability Inclusion Since the end of the Second World War, the global community has been undergoing a period of profound societal change. Civil Rights movements have shaken the foundations of the global order, standing at the heart of social transformation and progressive change for the better part of the last two centuries.This story can be traced, in various ways, to pivotal moments across our historical past. No area of human civilisation has been immune to debates and movements about the rights of individuals and the responsibility of the state, or supreme power, to the citizens who are governed by it.Across age, class, sex, faith, sexuality, and disability, individuals have advocated and fought for the gradual reshaping of their societies into the world we live in today – one aspiring toward a concrete vision of individual liberty, equality before the law, incorruptible justice, and shared prosperity. Yet, the journey has not always been smooth. We may view the past in entirely barbaric terms, and in many ways, we would be right. Still, history shows us that resistance to oppression has always existed. For the simple yet radical idea of human equality, battles were fought, won and lost; wars were waged, and countless lives were sacrificed.As far back as 1100 BCE, records from ancient Egypt suggest the occurrence of organised workers’ strikes. In 287 BCE, in ancient Rome, the dictator (no relation to modern-day dictators, please) Quintus Hortensius, passed the Lex Hortensia, a law which theoretically secured political equality between the ruling Patrician class and the free Plebeian citizens by making all resolutions from the Plebeian Council binding on all Roman citizens. Centuries earlier, Persia, under the infamous Cyrus the Great, issued the Cyrus Cylinder, a declaration often regarded as one of the earliest endorsements of religious freedom. Progress, however, has rarely been swift. It was not until the 1960s – during the height of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement – that disability inclusion began to emerge as a distinct movement with its own pure identity, advocating for a community whose experiences cut across age, class, gender, and culture. Prior to this, early steps toward social protection existed in the US, most notably the Social Security Act of the 1930s, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the first U.S. president with a physical disability.Between the 60s and the 90s, Civil Rights took multiple leaps forward around the globe. Across Africa, people reclaimed self-governance after a century of colonial rule. These transformations were marked by deep struggle, highlighted by the deeply divisive racial conflict in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. In Nigeria and throughout the continent, citizens grappled with the profound responsibilities and challenges of independence, democratic self-determination, and governance.Alongside these transformations, other social changes gained momentum worldwide. As gender (sex) rights, religious liberty, and freedom of expression raced forward, the world made enormous progress in the integration of persons with disabilities (PWDs). By the late 90s, the US, Canada, India, and the UK had enacted laws prohibiting discrimination based on disability.The newly formed United Nations played a central role in shaping global disability advocacy with the 1975 UN Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons. This milestone set the stage for later international frameworks, most notably the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2007, which emphasised not only fundamental rights like the right to accessibility and the right to life, but also focused on the socio-economic foundations that make political rights meaningful.Today, over 100 countries on Earth have enacted and implemented some form of legislation on disability inclusion. Still, the journey continues.Nationwide implementation of accessibility standards, increased participation of persons with disabilities in the workforce, politics, policymaking, and governance, inclusive education systems where children with disabilities and without disabilities learn together safely, and a societal culture that embraces rather than marginalises disability – these, and many others, are the markers of progress that remain ahead of us.On this journey toward true disability inclusion, we at TAF Africa, our donors and partners, and team, are committed to walking every step of the way.

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TAF Africa Donates 45 Assistive Devices to Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Delta State

TAF Africa Donates 45 Assistive Devices To Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Delta State https://youtu.be/e6x2D3BTkAs?si=XkkbjX34ICdRB2hc TAF Africa, in its efforts toward progress on inclusivity, has donated forty five assistive devices to Persons With Disabilities in Delta State.  This initiative is aimed at improving access to mobility for beneficiaries across the state. “For us, we are looking at promoting the rights of persons with disabilities”, says Dr. Andrew Adaji, Project Coordinator of the D-RAPID Project in Delta State, “One of their rights is access to mobility. So we’re using this to support them”. The Nigerian Police Force was on ground to remind everyone that their doors are open, specifically through the Disability Desks that have been setup across the country. Better access + Better Protection = A Better Nigeria.  Stakeholders, like the Delta Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons With Disabilities (JONAPWD), express gratitude for the timely intervention and noted that the devices will significantly ease their daily movement and enhance their participation in social and economic activities. CEO/Founder of TAF Africa, Ambassador Jake Epelle, remarked, “What we have done here to do was to move or shift from mere conversation to concrete tangible commitment that we envisage will produce expected outcomes”. CEO/Founder of TAF Africa, Ambassador Jake Epelle, remarked, “What we have done here to do was to move or shift from mere conversation to concrete tangible commitment that we envisage will produce expected outcomes”. Wheelchairs and Prosthetics were distributed to Forty Five Recipients.  Moving Forward, more work needs to be done, more people need to be reached, the net needs to widened, and we need more inclusive reportage. You can support TAF Africa’s work through donations on our website, volunteering, and sharing our work to your network. 🔗 Support TAF Africa.

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REQUEST FOR QUOTATION (RFQ) – Purchase and Setup of Solar Power Equipment

About TAF Africa TAF Africa is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization originally established to promote the health, socio-economic rights, well-being, and empowerment of persons with albinism. The organization has since evolved into a leading voice advocating for the recognition, respect, and inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria and around the world. TAF Africa contributes to legislative and policy actions that promote the rights of PWDs and the effective mainstreaming of inclusion. Background TAF Africa invites qualified vendors to submit quotations for the purchase and setup of solar power for TAF Africa. Expected Deliverables One (1) 16KWH Lithium -ion Battery One (1) 10KW Hybrid Inverter Ten (10) 620W Monocrystalline Solar Panels Fifteen (15) 6mm Load Cables Thirty (30) 10mm DC Cables One (1) Solar Panel base with accessories How to Apply Interested vendors should submit their quotations via email to info@tafafrica.co with the subject line:RFQ: Purchase and Setup of Solar Power Application Deadline: 3rd April 2026 Terms and Conditions This Request for Quotation (RFQ) is not, and shall not be considered, an offer by TAF Africa. All submissions must be received on or before the deadline indicated above. Late submissions will not be considered. Incomplete or unresponsive submissions will be rejected. Any award made will be subject to TAF Africa’s contractual terms and conditions and contingent upon the availability of donor funding. TAF Africa reserves the right to accept or reject any submission or cancel the solicitation process at any time without liability to the submitting party. TAF Africa reserves the right to accept all or part of a submission. All information provided by TAF Africa in this RFQ is offered in good faith. Items are subject to change, and all participating vendors will be notified accordingly. TAF Africa is not responsible for any use of the information provided nor any resulting claims. TAF Africa reserves the right to require the selected vendor(s) to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). All costs incurred by the vendor in preparing and submitting a response are solely the responsibility of the vendor. All submitted documents will become the property of TAF Africa, subject to confidentiality claims clearly marked by the vendor. TAF Africa may select and award contracts to multiple vendors as deemed necessary.

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Announcing…DemoCrazy

What happens when the headlines make you laugh, sigh, and question everything at the same time? You get DemoCrazy, the bold new podcast from the CEO and Founder of TAF Africa, Amb. Jake Epelle. In a country where politics often feels like theatre, DemoCrazy pulls back the curtain, not with long speeches, but with sharp, 60 to 120-second episodes that cut straight to the heart of the issue. With satire as his scalpel and wit as his voice, Amb. Epelle dissects the political moments shaping Nigeria today, exposing contradictions, questioning leadership, and providing a serious reminder that democracy is not a spectator sport. Beyond just commentary and humour, the DemoCrazy is clarity and its accountability. It’s a civic wake-up call. Each episode delivers a powerful reminder: behind every absurd headline are real people, real rights, and real consequences, especially for marginalized communities, including persons with disabilities, whose voices must never be drowned out by political noise. Why DemoCrazy matters now more than ever: It makes politics accessible, engaging, and impossible to ignore. It challenges citizens to think, question, and stay informed. It transforms frustration into awareness, and awareness into action. Democracy works best when citizens are informed, alert, and engaged. DemoCrazy invites you to listen, reflect, and share. Listen, laugh, think, act. Follow Jake Epelle’s social media platforms, subscribe when episodes drop, and share with your networks. Because when citizens pay attention, democracy becomes less “DemoCrazy” and more powerful. Subscribe now and join the conversation. Your voice matters, your awareness matters, and your engagement could make all the difference. Facebook X-twitter Youtube Linkedin

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