The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) and Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI) are seeking to foster strategic collaboration for the empowerment of persons with disabilities in various fields of endeavours.
The understanding was reached during a courtesy visit by the Commission to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hon. Jumoke Oduwole, in her office in Abuja.
Executive Secretary of the Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Hon. Ayuba Burki Gufwan said the team from the Commission was on the visit to seek institutional partnership on inclusive trade, industrialization, and creative economy, including the inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in CANEX WKND 2026; which is a creativity and talent exposure avenue.
Represented by the Director Social Integration in the Commission, Lawrence Idemudia, he said the Commission was already in partnership with Peace for Humanity Foundation and Discovering Ability in Disability Initiative (DADI) for skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, empowerment and creative industry to empower PWDs in the nation.
He commended the Minister for driving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of industrialization, MSME growth, and trade expansion.
According to him, it aligns with the mandate of the Commission which statutorily was established under the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, and charged with promoting, protecting and enforcing the rights and welfare of over 35.5 million Nigerians with disabilities.
He stated that the visit was principally to interface with the Ministry given its strategic role in uplifting Nigerians through trade and investment, and to explore a formal partnership between NCPWD and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI).
He noted that disability inclusion is economic inclusion. He said:
“15% of Nigeria’s population who are Persons with Disabilities cannot be left out of trade and industrialization plans. When PWDs are excluded, Nigeria loses an estimated 5-7% of GDP potential annually due to exclusion from productive work and business. Global data shows that companies with disability-inclusive workforce have higher productivity and market access.”
Gufwan added that: “We are not here to ask for charity. We are here to unlock a 35.5 million-strong market of consumers, producers, and entrepreneurs through the creative industry and trade and investment strategies.”
The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Hon. Jumoke Oduwole reassured the Commission of her Ministry’s support to ensure that persons with disabilities are beneficiaries of some of the ongoing projects in her Ministry.
She mentioned the role the Ministry played in the lives of many Nigerians, which led to FMITI receiving an award on diversity, equality, and inclusion.
She noted that she understands the needs of persons with disabilities and is looking forward to what can be done through the programmes in her ministry to empower PWDs.
She said, for instance, ACFTA prioritises inclusion, and the department of Trade in the Ministry can offer some opportunities for persons with disabilities.
The minister said she is driving the CANEX WKND 2026 project because it is a platform for trade, investment, enterprise, and market access in which persons with disabilities can also benefit from if qualified.
She directed that her team, that of the Commission and partners present set up a Technical Working Committee that will come up with strategic areas of collaboration to ensure full participation of persons with Disabilities in the Ministry’s ongoing projects and plans.
Key requests made by the Commission include:
Inclusion in Trade and Investment Programmes that will ensure the formal inclusion of NCPWD and PWD entrepreneurs in all major businesses, investments, and creative industry programmes of the Ministry.
The Commission also requested that the CANEX WKND 2026 Showcase gets the approval of the Minister for the NCPWD to feature and showcase the creative talents of Persons with Disabilities at the creative economy window since the PWD community has vast untapped creative talents with gifts waiting to be exposed to the world.
Other requests are a collaboration with the Commission on the PWD Reality TV Talent Hunt Show which the Commission, in partnership with Discovering Ability in Disability Initiative, is launching first-of-its-kind National Reality TV Talent Hunt Show for PWDs covering Music, Comedy, Film/Acting, Fashion Design, Visual Arts & Painting, Dance, Culinary Arts, Content Creation, Assistive Tech Innovation, among others. The show aims to discover, train, mentor, and turn ability into profitability.
The Commission also requested for entrepreneurship and empowerment through the Farm City Project that the Commission in partnership with Peace for Humanity Foundation, is seeking to establish nationwide to empower PWDs in agriculture, career and business ventures as a tool for wealth creation and poverty reduction.
According to the Commission, when these initiatives are integrated into the Ministry’s empowerment and SME development schemes, the pwds community will benefit immensely.
Signed: Ishaku Kigbu (anipr)
Head Media and Publicity Unit
National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD)
26th/10/ 2026
