President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Bill into law on Wednesday, 23rd January 2019. The Bill which was introduced in the National Assembly 18 years ago and passed was never signed into law by former administrations. The eventual assent of the Bill into law has been widely commended by several advocacy groups representing the interests of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), as well as other concerned organizations and the international community, who for the past years have advocated for the Bill to be signed into law.
The legislation prohibits discrimination against persons with impairments and provides for the imposition of fines for corporate bodies, and an imprisonment term for individuals found guilty of any form of discrimination, as described. All public organisations are mandated to reserve 5% of employment opportunities for PWDs. Furthermore, a 5-year transitional period has been provided for all public buildings and structures to be made accessible to PWDs. This extends to public transportation facilities, which are also expected to be made user friendly for persons with disabilities. Also, Section 31 of the Act provides for the establishment of a National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, to be headed by an Executive Secretary.