Parents, educators, and disability advocates have urged the Federal Government to urgently fund inclusive schools, expand access to therapy services, and strengthen policies protecting children with special needs nationwide.
The appeal came during the 2026 Special Educational Needs and Therapy Empowerment Conference and Trade Fair held in Lagos, themed “Preparing for Adulthood: Empowering Caregivers and Families,” according to a statement by SENTE on Saturday.
Dr Mudi Nwachukwu, Chair of the SENTE Organising Committee, highlighted that inadequate funding and weak implementation of disability-friendly policies remain major obstacles. “Funding, funding, funding — we need the money to build institutions where people can get the help they need. Therapy is not cheap, yet many parents are left to source funds on their own,” she said. Nwachukwu emphasized that many parents face stigma and lack access to professional guidance and resources, with some states lacking even basic therapy services like speech therapy.
Advocates also called for enforceable anti-discrimination laws to protect children with special needs. Mr Yinka Ogunnubi, President of the Association of Corporate Treasurers of Nigeria and a parent of a child with special needs, stressed that stigma continues to silence families, with some children confined at home or taken to spiritual centres instead of receiving professional care.
Other speakers, including Mrs Solape Azazi of Cradle Lounge Special Needs Initiative and Ms Tobiloba Ajayi of Let Cerebral Palsy Kids Learn Foundation, urged long-term planning for adulthood, resilience building, and focusing on children’s strengths rather than their diagnoses.
Participants agreed that while progress has been made in some states, a coordinated national effort involving funding, policy reform, inclusive education, and accessible therapy services is urgently needed to ensure children with special needs are protected, empowered, and supported to thrive into adulthood.
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