The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has urged stronger legal protections to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in Nigeria’s climate change framework.

The call was made on Thursday during the launch of a research report on disability-inclusive greenhouse gas emissions, climate adaptation and mitigation in Umuahia.

Acting director of CCD, Godwin Unumeri, said the report formed part of the organisation’s disability inclusion project.

CCD asked the National Climate Change Commission (NCCC) to develop supplementary regulations recognising Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) as a distinct group under the Climate Change Act 2021.

Mr Unumeri noted that CCD also urged the NCCC to introduce disability-specific indicators in the National Climate Change Action Plan to improve inclusion and accountability.

The organisation further recommended establishing Directorates of PWDs in federal, state and local government institutions to strengthen representation and participation.

According to Mr Unumeri, the initiative seeks to mainstream PWDs in climate change policies, programmes and interventions across Nigeria.

He said the study was conducted between October and December 2025 to generate empirical evidence for disability-inclusive climate action.

“The launch aims to equip policymakers with evidence to design programmes that address the unique needs of PWDs,” he said.

The report identified what it described as a “policy disconnect” between the Climate Change Act 2021 and the Disability Act 2018.

Mr Unumeri noted that while the Climate Change Act categorises PwDs as vulnerable groups, it contains no specific provisions or guaranteed representation mechanisms.

He observed that the Disability Act lacks provisions addressing environmental resilience and disaster response measures for persons with disabilities.

Mr Unumeri said findings showed that PwDs face disproportionate climate risks, with 87.3 per cent reporting personal challenges arising from climate change impacts.

He added that 91.8 per cent of respondents believed persons with disabilities were more severely affected by floods, heatwaves and related climate shocks.

He said the study highlighted inaccessible evacuation routes and a “communication blackout” affecting deaf and blind persons during emergencies.

The CCD acting director further revealed that climate-related disruptions often destroy the livelihoods of PwDs, many of whom are already marginalised within the informal economy.

He said only 9.2 per cent of respondents had ever participated in climate policy consultations at any level.

“CCD recommended universal design standards for early warning systems and allocation of 15 per cent of social protection funds to Nigeria’s estimated 35 million PwDs.

“The organisation also urged the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities to review the Disability Act,” Mr Unumeri stated.

He said the review should mandate membership of persons with disabilities within the National Climate Change Commission.

He called for collaboration with first responders to develop disability-inclusive evacuation procedures during emergencies.

He also advocated disability-disaggregated data collection during Nigeria’s next population census to improve policy planning.

Stakeholders at the launch included civil society organisations, organisations of persons with disabilities and representatives of federal and state MDAs.

The participants had earlier validated the report’s findings during consultations held in February.

Chairman of the Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Disabled Persons,  David Anyaele, unveiled the report.

Mr Anyaele said Governor Alex Otti remained committed to inclusion and ensuring that no citizen was excluded from governance processes.

“Climate is changing daily. From erosion to flooding and heat waves, PWDs feel it the most,” he said.

He stressed that every opportunity should be used to expand access and create spaces for persons with disabilities.

Mr Anyaele urged ministries, departments and agencies to study the disability summary before reading the full report.

According to him, this would promote a better understanding of the findings and recommendations.

He also called on the Climate Change Council to include PwDs in decision-making processes.

Such inclusion, he said, would support more holistic climate mitigation and adaptation responses across the country.

Mr Anyaele urged state agencies to design climate programmes with accessibility considerations for all disability clusters.

He disclosed that Abia’s climate change policy was being redesigned with significant contributions from the disability community.

“Awareness does not create itself,” he said, urging stakeholders to use the report to advance inclusive development.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Agriculture, Cliff Agbaeze, represented by Uka Uka, director of livestock, commended CCD for the research.

Mr Agbaeze said the findings demonstrated the need for governments to include PwDs in all development programmes.

“They are the poorest of the poor,” he said, stressing the importance of targeted interventions.

The report concluded that legal reforms and rights-based participation were essential to ensure no one was left behind.

The research was conducted in Abia, Akwa Ibom and Lagos states.

The project received support from the International Climate Initiative. 

(NAN)