Olusola Owonikoko

Olusola is a passionate advocate for disability inclusion who is working to transform society’s perception of persons with disabilities (PWDs) and create opportunities for their full participation by addressing systemic barriers, promoting inclusive practices, and advocating for policy change.

Olusola envisions a society where persons with disabilities (PWDs) are fully integrated and empowered to lead dignified, productive lives. He is addressing the widespread marginalization and exclusion of PWDs, which is perpetuated by systemic gaps in policy implementation, societal attitudes, and institutional practices. He is transforming social, cultural, political, legal, and economic systems to address these issues at their root. His overarching vision is to change the reality for PWDs in Nigeria by creating an enabling and inclusive environment where they can thrive and break the cycle of poverty often associated with disability. His efforts are aimed at dismantling the barriers preventing PWDs from achieving their full potential and ensuring they have the same opportunities as everyone else to succeed and contribute to society.

Olusola, through his organization Project Enable Africa, is giving people with disabilities (PWDs) new roles, shifting them from mere beneficiaries of programs to active facilitators in creating inclusive opportunities for other persons with disabilities. By actively helping companies and organizations become more inclusive to support and embrace PWDs, he´s creating an enabling environment for his vision to take hold. He has created a toolkit that provides a structured method for organizations to evaluate and improve their inclusivity practices, coupled with an ambassadors program that serves as representatives and advocates for PWDs within these organizations.

In addition to his work with companies, Olusola works at the societal level to change mindsets and combat discrimination to foster a more inclusive society. He aims to instil inclusive values from a young age by engaging with educational institutions. His work with the media helps to shift public perception and raise awareness about the capabilities and rights of PWDs. Through policy advocacy, he is working to influence legislation and public policies to better support PWDs.

Olusola is also making it easier for people with disabilities to access assistive technologies. These technologies are crucial for enabling PWDs to live more independently and participate fully in society. By improving access to these tools, Olusola is helping to remove barriers that PWDs often face.

To further his mission, Olusola brings together an ecosystem of players to an annual conference called AbilityX (formerly the Disability Dialogue Forum), which serves as a platform for stakeholders, including PWDs, advocates, policymakers, and industry leaders, to share ideas, collaborate, and drive forward the agenda of inclusivity and support for PWDs.

Approximately 15% of Nigeria’s population, or about 25 million people, are with disabilities. These individuals face significant barriers to full participation in society, despite national and international policies designed to protect their rights. Societal stigma and discrimination exacerbate the marginalization of persons with disabilities (PWDs), leading to economic hardship, social isolation, and limited access to education, healthcare, and employment. Women with disabilities encounter compounded challenges due to gender-based discrimination. Young people with disabilities face particularly high unemployment rates and limited opportunities for personal and professional growth.

The challenges faced by PWDs are rooted in systemic issues. Government, private, and civil society organizations lack the capacity to effectively implement disability-inclusive policies. Consequently, existing laws are poorly enforced, and PWDs continue to experience discrimination and exclusion. A prevalent charity model further undermines the dignity and potential of PWDs, reducing them to objects of pity rather than recognized contributors to society.

The economic consequences for PWDs are severe. High rates of poverty, unemployment, and limited access to assistive technology restrict their ability to access essential services and lead fulfilling lives. Employment is a key area where PWDs face substantial discrimination. Stereotypes and misconceptions about their abilities limit their employment opportunities. Many employers perceive PWDs as less productive or costly to accommodate, leading to discriminatory hiring practices. Additionally, the built environment often presents physical barriers to employment, preventing PWDs from accessing workplaces. Governments and businesses must implement policies and practices that promote inclusive workplaces, providing reasonable accommodations and creating opportunities for PWDs to contribute to the workforce.

Moreover, societal stigma and discrimination contribute to social isolation, impacting mental health and overall well-being. Social inclusion is a complex and multifaceted issue that encompasses various aspects of life, including participation in community activities, leisure, and social relationships. PWDs often face isolation and exclusion due to inaccessible public spaces, transportation challenges, and negative attitudes. Creating inclusive communities requires a concerted effort from governments, organizations, and individuals to promote accessibility, awareness, and acceptance.

In conclusion, the challenges faced by PWDs are multifaceted and deeply rooted in societal attitudes, policies, and practices. While progress has been made, significant work remains to be done to create an inclusive and equitable world for all. By addressing the barriers to education, employment, healthcare, and social inclusion, we can empower PWDs to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society. It is imperative to adopt a human rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent dignity and worth of all individuals, regardless of their abilities.

Through his non-profit, Project Enable Africa, Olusola is promoting on-ground work across the nation to change the reality for PWDs in Nigeria by creating an enabling and inclusive environment for them to thrive and break the poverty chain associated with disability. His model includes several key elements: empowering PWDs through training for job opportunities, helping companies and organizations become more inclusive, shifting societal mindsets, improving access to assistive technologies, and fostering collaboration across the ecosystem through his Nigeria Business Disability Network. This comprehensive and multi-faceted approach not only addresses the immediate needs of PWDs but also creates a sustainable and inclusive environment for future generations.

Olusola’s strategy for empowering PWDs involves a three-tiered approach. Firstly, he focuses on building their economic capacity through entrepreneurship and employability programs, providing them with the necessary skills and resources to secure jobs or start businesses. Secondly, successful program beneficiaries become part of the Project Enable Africa Alumni Network, fostering peer-to-peer learning and community engagement. Network members are encouraged to design and implement impact projects within their communities to support other PWDs. Lastly, to create systemic change, PWDs are trained as disability inclusion champions and ambassadors. In these roles, they assist organizations in developing inclusive practices, thereby expanding opportunities for PWDs across various sectors. To do this, they are equipped with a disability inclusion toolkit containing a comprehensive leadership, policy, and process questionnaire, detailed physical accessibility guidelines, inclusive recruitment guidelines, disability inclusion recommendations, and co-creation guidelines for inclusive services. This innovative approach ensures that disability inclusiveness is not just a policy but a practice embedded within the organizational culture. He is already working with over 80 organizations that are becoming role models for other companies and organizations, with the vision of making the inclusion of PWD in Nigeria a reality.

To maximize his reach and impact, Olusola has forged a strategic partnership with the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) which gives him access to a wider network of persons with disabilities registered under their umbrella. This partnership gives Olusola an extra layer of nationwide reach and access to an organized body of persons with disabilities, further giving him leverage to co-create empowerment strategies for PWDs at all levels and ensuring their voices are amplified in policymaking processes. Through this, Olusola is also enhancing the lives of PWDs and building a sustainable ecosystem that promotes inclusion and equality.

At the societal level, Olusola is working to change the mindset and discrimination against PWDs by collaborating with media, having trained over 200 media organizations on inclusive reporting, and participating in the production of seven documentaries to raise awareness about the challenges faced by PWDs.

He launched the Access360 initiative to collect data on challenges faced by PWDs, track progress, and set benchmarks to drive policy changes. Central to his strategy is working with policymakers, raising awareness of PWD issues, and collaborating on solutions. For example, Olusola played a key role in creating the Nigerian Disability Act, which mandates that 5% of government jobs be reserved for PWDs and requires PWD-friendly government buildings. Despite the Act’s lack of budgetary provisions, Olusola developed a disability scorecard to measure progress and ensure compliance with these mandates. Moreover, he works with schools at secondary and tertiary levels to integrate disability inclusiveness into their learning curricula and promotes access to inclusive education.

Furthermore, Olusola is making it easier for people with disabilities to access assistive technologies. This is a crucial aspect of his model, as assistive technologies significantly enhance the quality of life for PWDs, enabling them to perform tasks that they might otherwise find challenging. By improving access to these technologies, Olusola is removing barriers and creating opportunities for PWDs to thrive. Recognizing the potential of globalization, he is promoting training opportunities for PWDs without requiring physical relocation. Additionally, he has organized a hackathon for assistive technology development.

Finally, Olusola, through his Nigeria Business Disability Network (a network dedicated to advancing disability rights in the private sector through the creation of disability inclusive products, programs and practices that encompasses members such as Access Bank, Sterling Bank, Guinness, Unilever, Airtel, and MTN) co-organizes an annual Nigeria Diversity and Inclusion Forum which is a gathering of ecosystem players in the disability space. This forum serves as a platform for sharing best practices, discussing challenges, and fostering collaboration among various stakeholders.

The forum also serves as an opportunity to showcase and reward private organizations who have partnered with him in the creation of employment opportunities for PWDs according to their three-tier grading system. The grading system ranks partner organizations according to the following tiers – Disability Confident, Disability Compliant, and Disability Leader, with the third rank being the highest. Through this annual event, Olusola ensures that there is a continuous dialogue and collective effort to improve the lives of PWDs. Leveraging the richness of the forum, Olusola has secured the commitment from a consortium of two banks to create 5,000 jobs for persons with disabilities in their vast branch network across Africa over the next few years. This consortium has Accenture as training providers to the beneficiaries with Olusola’s organization, Project Enable acting as managing partners.

Finally, Olusola’s drive to create a more inclusive Africa for persons with disabilities extends beyond Nigeria’s borders. He is strategically expanding his disability work and network to Uganda, South Africa, Ghana, and Cameroon, leveraging existing connections in these countries. Additionally, the partnership with two Nigerian banks committed to providing 5,000 jobs for PWDs across their continental operations presents a unique opportunity to scale impact across Africa. By capitalizing on the banks’ extensive networks, Olusola aims to reach a wider audience and create more employment opportunities for PWDs in these countries. This expansion will not only increase the number of beneficiaries but also strengthen the overall impact of his work.

So far, Olusola has directly secured employment and training to over 12,000 persons with disabilities across 30 states in Nigeria, while also supporting a little over 250 organizations with disability inclusive policies for both recruitment and human resource management.

Growing up in a poor neighbourhood in Nigeria, adjacent to a high-income area, Olusola was acutely aware of his community’s stark divide and social invisibility. Most of his childhood was spent in a motor park in Ojota where his father ran a shoe repair workshop, and the family lived in a one-room shop without basic amenities. Despite these challenging circumstances, Olusola’s father prioritized education, believing it was the only way out of poverty. This belief proved true as education became his escape from a life of menial jobs and social exclusion. The loss of his father due to untreated diabetes, which the family couldn’t afford to treat, deeply impacted him and shaped his understanding of social injustices and exclusion.

Olusola’s relationship to the problem of disability rights advocacy is deeply personal and informed by several pivotal experiences. As a teenager, he became acutely conscious of social exclusion, inequality, and the stigmatization of persons with disabilities. The loss of an uncle who became physically disabled after a work-related accident and subsequently passed away due to inadequate support highlighted the harsh realities faced by individuals with disabilities.

The decision to take action on disability rights advocacy came from a profound ‘AHA’ moment during a ride in a commercial tricycle in Lagos. The tricycle driver, who had physical disabilities, had adapted his vehicle to meet his needs, allowing him to make a decent living with dignity. This experience was a revelation for Olusola, shifting his perspective entirely. Motivated by his early childhood experiences, coupled with his training as a development practitioner and inclusive-policy advocate, he decided to start Project Enable Africa to create an environment where persons with disabilities could thrive despite their impairments.