A new demographic dataset presented by the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Abuja has revealed that an estimated 35 million Nigerians are living with disabilities.

The association disclosed the figure during a press conference to unveil its report, titled: “Assumptive Demographic Data on Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria,” which seeks to provide a working baseline for understanding the size and distribution of persons with disabilities across the country.

JONAPWD president, Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu Usman, explained that the estimate was derived using the global benchmark that places persons with disabilities at 15 per cent of every national population, applied to Nigeria’s 2025 population projections by the National Population Commission.

He said the report was developed to address the long-standing absence of comprehensive disability data in Nigeria, a gap that has hindered effective programme design, equitable resource allocation and evidence-based policymaking.

According to the analysis, Kano State records the highest estimated population of persons with disabilities at approximately 2.5 million, followed by Lagos State with about 2.1 million.

The report also provides further disaggregation across disability clusters with physical disabilities constituting the largest cluster, estimated at approximately 8.2 million individuals, followed by the deaf community with an estimated population of about 7.7 million.

Gender analysis of the report suggests that male persons with disabilities account for slightly over 17.6 million individuals, while female persons with disabilities are estimated at approximately 17.2 million.

JONAPWD expressed hope that the dataset would serve as a foundation for governments, development partners, civil society groups and disability rights advocates to design policies and interventions that are more inclusive and responsive to the needs of persons with disabilities.

Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Mohammed Abba Isa, described the dataset as a landmark step toward addressing the long-standing absence of credible and disaggregated data on persons with disabilities in the country.

Isa, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said the lack of reliable statistics had for years remained one of the most significant obstacles to effective policy formulation, planning and targeted interventions for persons with disabilities.

He added that the dataset would support the federal government’s efforts to establish a more comprehensive and official national database for vulnerable populations.

Isa also assured that his office would work closely with stakeholders and development partners to ensure that the insights generated from the report are integrated into national development planning.

According to him, the initiative aligns with the inclusive governance goals of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The secretary of the National Population Commission, Adeiyi Onah Daniel at the event said the commission had endorsed the data, urging government agencies and other stakeholders to use it in designing their programmes. (Daily Trust)