Country profile: intellectual and developmental disability in Nigeria

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a contextual and general overview of intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a chronological approach, providing an assessment of the understanding and treatment of people with IDD from the pre-colonial era to the present. Findings Nigeria has experienced a different historical path in terms of treatment and service provision for people with IDD compared to industrialised and developing countries such as the UK and Brazil. Originality/value Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with an emerging economy and thus important to review the treatment and social inclusion of people with IDD in the country’s development.

Exploring the role and lived experiences of people with disabilities working in the agricultural sector in northern Nigeria the agricultural sector in northern Nigeria

“…partners, family and friends). This reinforces previous literature suggesting that despite the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, social care provision in Nigeria remains largely unchanged and mostly provided by families (see Sango 2017), with no funding from the government. Several studies (e.g.…”

Are they not Nigerians? The obligation of the state to end discriminatory practices against persons with disabilities

“…There are beliefs especially among adherents of traditional religions in the country that view disability as evil. There is the belief that anyone suffering from epilepsy, for instance, is possessed by evil spirits or is serving a retribution for offences committed by that person’s ancestors or parents (Sango, 2013). Many disabled persons are prevented, as a result of practices associated with traditional religions, from participating in social activities during festivals.…”

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Nigeria

“…In Nigeria, there is an inadequacy of administrative measures specifically for individuals with IDD and sometimes failure to carry out accurate diagnosis in accordance with the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD‐10) codes (Sango, 2017). Although, the NCDC made commendable efforts to initiating an online course on Infection Prevention and Control to support the general public and healthcare workers to help curtail the risk of spreading COVID‐19 (Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, 2020b).…”

“…Nigeria is classified as Africa's largest economy, and it consists of 36 states and the FCT located in Abuja (World Bank, 2019). Currently, Nigeria uses the definition of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to describe individuals with IDD; however, most of these individuals have been misdiagnosed due to lack of local expertise, insufficient funding, and multicultural diversity of the country (Sango, 2017). After the country's independence in 1960, the state governments managed the social care of individuals with IDD (Obiakor, 1998).…”

“…Before the COVID‐19 pandemic, there were limited records of support and care provided individuals with IDD in Nigeria. Similarly, there is a dearth of literature on the number of individuals with IDD due to the lack of financial resources to conduct research, lack of awareness, and neglect of these individuals and their families by the government and the society in Nigeria (Sango, 2017). Therefore, this is a knowledge gap that needs to be bridged.…”