Disability groups sue over accessibility gaps

Advocacy organisations have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government demanding enforceable accessibility standards and inclusive public infrastructure for persons with disabilities.

Advocacy organisations representing persons with disabilities have filed a case in the Federal High Court in Abuja over civic accessibility guarantees and inclusive public infrastructure. The lawsuit challenges the government’s failure to implement enforceable standards that would guarantee equal access to public buildings, transportation networks and digital services for Nigerians living with disabilities.

Despite the passage of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act in 2018, implementation has been uneven. Many public buildings remain inaccessible, and public transportation systems are largely designed without consideration for persons with mobility, visual or hearing impairments. The organisations are seeking a court order compelling the government to establish and enforce binding accessibility standards across all federal agencies and publicly funded infrastructure projects.

The lawsuit signals growing frustration among disability rights advocates who have long argued that successive administrations have treated accessibility as a matter of goodwill rather than a legally enforceable right. This echoes the 2020 advocacy campaigns that pushed for the passage of the disability rights legislation, which also faced implementation hurdles.

The winners: persons with disabilities, who may gain enforceable rights to accessible public infrastructure; and the Nigerian judiciary, which has an opportunity to affirm the rights of marginalised groups. The losers: government agencies that have failed to implement accessibility standards; and the Nigerian government, which faces legal accountability for its inaction.

Bottom Line: Disability advocates have taken the government to court over inaccessible infrastructure. The question is whether the judiciary will enforce the law or the government will continue to ignore it.