LAGOS, July 23 – Despite legal reforms and public pledges of inclusivity, Nigeria’s electoral process continues to marginalise millions of citizens living with disabilities, exposing a persistent gap between policy and practice in Africa’s largest democracy.
During the country’s 2023 general elections, voters with disabilities encountered systemic barriers at polling stations across the nation, in a glaring contradiction to provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act. The law mandates that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) provide assistive tools, ensure accessible infrastructure, and guarantee priority voting access for persons with disabilities (PWDs). But election day reality told a different story.
Legal Framework, Limited Implementation
INEC’s commitments included the nationwide deployment of over 8,000 Braille ballot guides, 21,000 magnifying glasses, and 6,000 large-print posters. Yet, field reports suggest widespread failures in delivery, distribution, and utilisation.
The Inclusive Friends Association (IFA), a civil society organisation monitoring disability-inclusive elections, deployed over 250 trained observers during the February and March polls. Their findings were stark: 60% of observed polling units lacked Braille guides, and 76% were without magnifying glasses. In many cases, election officials were either unaware of the tools or did not understand how to deploy them effectively.
“INEC promised inclusion but delivered exclusion,” IFA stated in its post-election assessment.
Similarly, TAF Africa, through its PWD Election Hub, reported that 75% of polling stations observed during the March 18 off-cycle elections had no Braille guides, while 87% lacked magnifying glasses. Large-font posters for the Deaf community were missing at 63% of stations, according to their data from 228 units.
While 94% of polling units were reportedly physically accessible, only 76% offered priority voting to PWDs—a right enshrined in law, not granted as courtesy.
Invisible at the Polls and Beyond
For many voters with disabilities, participation was fraught with difficulty or outright impossible. Some were forced to wait in long queues despite legal provisions for priority access. Others could not vote independently, relying on relatives or officials, thereby compromising the secrecy of the ballot. Several were turned away due to inaccessible environments or the absence of necessary assistive devices.
“These are not just logistical oversights,” said a TAF Africa observer. “They are violations of fundamental democratic rights.”
INEC also failed to deploy Form EC 40H consistently. The form is intended to capture real-time data on the number and needs of PWDs at polling units, which is crucial for long-term electoral planning. Without this data, analysts warn, the commission is unlikely to correct past oversights in future elections.
Underrepresentation in the Political Arena
Election-day challenges are only part of the broader exclusion. Despite constitutional guarantees and ratified international treaties such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, political parties in Nigeria have made little room for PWDs as candidates or party leaders. Instead, disability issues are often approached from a welfare perspective rather than integrated into governance frameworks.
“This is not about sympathy. It’s about representation and equal access,” said a spokesperson from the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD).
Calls for Structural Reform
Civil society organisations have renewed calls for comprehensive reforms ahead of future elections. Their recommendations include:
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Mandatory disability inclusion training for all INEC staff.
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Full deployment and monitoring of assistive technologies at polling stations.
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Consistent use of Form EC 40H to improve electoral planning for PWDs.
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Promotion of PWDs as candidates, not only as voters.
“Inclusion must no longer be an afterthought,” said Grace Jerry, Executive Director of IFA. “It must be embedded in every layer of the electoral process—from policy design to on-the-ground execution.”
Democracy Without Access
An estimated 27 million Nigerians live with disabilities. Their exclusion raises questions about the credibility and inclusiveness of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“Who is democracy for, if millions are systemically left out?” Jerry asked. “Until political leaders and election managers act on their promises, PWDs will continue to watch democracy from the margins—overlooked, unheard, and unrepresented.”
As the country begins preparations for future elections, the test for Nigeria’s democracy will not just be in the numbers of ballots cast, but in whether all citizens—regardless of ability—can access and trust the process.
