National Issues
Solving financial exclusion of People Living with Disabilities
Solutions from other jurisdictions provide useful templates to drive the financial inclusion of the underserved and financially excluded people living with disabilities (PLWD) in Nigeria. Nigerian banks need to conduct research into the unmet needs of the physically challenged populations who are presently underserved and largely excluded from accessing formal financial services.
Lloyds Banking Group in Britain took this step to understand the unmet needs of customers suffering from dementia. The outcome of the research led to the development of charter on the dementia-friendly financial services. This is an outstanding step to identify the needs of customers with a view to increasing their access to financial services. This solution driven approach should be embraced by Nigerian banks towards solving the problems of the physically challenged population.
Experiences of PLWDs revealed the dimensions of the barriers to financial inclusion which they face. Akin, for instance, is physically challenged and feels that Nigeria is full of barriers for PLWDs. He lamented that most banking architectural designs exclude them. “Nigeria is full of barriers.
Architectural barriers are all over the place. Most of our public buildings in Nigeria are designed in such a way as to make life more difficult and stressful for persons with disabilities. In other words, persons with disabilities are not usually considered when public buildings are being designed.”
Akin is not alone in this. Bimbola, a civil servant, who also lives with disabilities, explained that she opened her bank account because it was a condition for her to be paid her salary. “If not for the salary I received through bank, I would not have had a bank account. The reason is that banks in Nigeria are not built to be accessed by persons with disabilities.
Someone on crutches, for instance, cannot access the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) because of the structure that will require the person to climb steps. If such person also wants to enter the banking hall, there are steps to climb. Besides, tiled floor in the banking hall could cause crutches to slip,” she said.
On another note, Yinka disclosed how technology impedes his access to the banking hall. He said, “I do not have access to the banking hall because of the security doors. Even If I have difficulty with the ATM, I will not be allowed to enter. Rather I will be attended to outside the banking hall by some bank staff. Although they have been meeting my needs, I am not satisfied with such arrangement as I am always under the scorching sun waiting for whoever handles my case to come out of the banking hall. I believe I have right to enter to enjoy facilities like air conditioner and toilet provided out of the profits realized from my transactions.”
Although the security doors are for the protection of staff, money and facilities from armed robbers, PLWDs like Yinka, feel bank facilities should be peculiar to the unique characteristics of customers.
Many PLWDs are also reportedly denied access to financial loans although those gainfully employed have better experiences than others. Bimbola, for instance, has received a bank loan.
She said, “I had got a bank loan before. This, I believe, was possible because I am a civil servant. Such access could not have been there if I wasn’t a civil servant because the bank might think persons with disabilities were too poor to refund loans.”
Visually impaired Ade decided not to request for an ATM card because not all bank galleries are disability friendly. He said, “For someone like me with physical limitation, I cannot gain physical access to the ATM. So, I would have to depend on some other people for transactions performed with the ATM card. This would be like taking unnecessary risks. Ade considers his decision a rational safeguard against fraud. “I do not possess an ATM card. I was advised to do away with it. Even though it is convenient using it, the gains associated with it are lesser than the costs for someone like me who cannot see.”
Bank Staff disclosed that the visually impaired are advised against taking ATM card in order not to compromise their personal identification numbers (PINs) and be defrauded. Although PLWDs globally face barriers but steps to address these problems has been encouraging in India. With about 66million PLWDs, India is addressing the challenges of financial inclusion of PLWDs with development of assistive technologies (AT). Assistive technologies make the environment, products and services easily accessible to PLWDs. Common ones being used are text and image magnification for the visually impaired, audio and tactile technologies for the blind and the deaf.
In the same vein, Nigerian banks could deploy screen magnifiers, Braille display/keyboards, and speech synthesizers to drive financial inclusion of PLWDs. Banks could also install ramps on all ATMs and Braille keypads on at least one machine in a gallery to assist PLWDs.
In its 2019 Rule Book, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) mandates Deposit Money Banks (DBM) “to provide opportunity for increased access to its products and services through platforms such as cash centres, e-branches, and mobile money and increasing efficiency to serve more clients. A Bank should consider making its physical locations and facilities accessible to physically challenged persons.”
Despite this policy intervention, PLWDs continually suffer unpleasant experiences accessing banking services. They are excluded by disability-unfriendly structures and are made to endure exclusionary financial services. Yet PLWDs constitute untapped goldmine for banks to retain sizeable share of the banking market and grow their organisations. Underestimating the buying power of the physically challenged population in Nigeria will be to the detriment of DBMs.
According to the Martin Prosperity Institute, the purchasing influence power of people living with disabilities is expected to exceed $1trillion in the United States by the end of 2021. This is a possibility for the Nigerian economy if embraced but why should we drive the financial inclusion of PLWDs?
According to the World Health Organisation, over one billion people globally live with one form of disability or another with 190million of them within 15 years and above bracket. In Nigeria, there are about 25million PLWDs and close to 40million persons are financially excluded. The Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System PLC reported that there are about 124.85million bank accounts opened in Nigeria. Out of these, 45.57million are dormant. What this tells us is that there is a largely untapped market of PLWDs by banks and not doing so affects the life chances of this underserved vulnerable social group who operate at the margins of financial inclusion.
While people living with disabilities (PLWD) in urban centres face financial exclusion, the experiences of their counterpart in the rural areas which house over fifty percent of Nigerians is better imagined than experienced. Capturing PLWD in formal financial services will make them save, invest, access loans and contribute to the growth of the economy, according to experts.
To address the problem of disability unfriendly structures, the CBN must ensure that banks’ architectural designs are disability-friendly and that their financial services accommodate all forms of disabilities. The government also has a major role to play to ensure that it enforces the provisions of the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018 which provides five-year transition of modification of public buildings, structures and automobiles to make them accessible and usable for persons living with disabilities.
Dr. Tade, sociologist and solution journalist wrote via dotad2003@yahoo.com
Amid rising killings and a wave of mass abductions by gunmen and suspected terrorists across the country, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency.
The President, in a statement personally signed and released in Abuja, also ordered an immediate expansion of the manpower of the Armed Forces and the Nigeria Police Force as the Federal Government rushes to halt the worsening insecurity.
“Today, in view of the emerging security situation, I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and order additional recruitment into the Armed Forces,” Tinubu said.
“By this declaration, the police and the army are authorised to recruit more personnel. The police will recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total to 50,000.”
Tinubu explained that he had already approved upgrades of police training facilities nationwide and authorised the use of selected National Youth Service Corps camps as police training depots.
He added that officers withdrawn from VIP guard duties would undergo “crash training” before being redeployed to areas battling heightened insecurity.
The President also directed the Department of State Services to immediately deploy all trained forest guards to flush out terrorists and bandits hiding in forests across the country. The DSS was further authorised to recruit additional personnel.
“There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil. This is a national emergency. We are deploying more boots on the ground, especially in vulnerable communities. The times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we must all get involved in securing our nation,” he said.
Tinubu commended security agencies for jointly securing the release of 24 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State and 38 worshippers in Kwara State. He assured that efforts were ongoing to rescue students of Catholic schools in Niger State and other kidnapped Nigerians still in captivity.
“To the leadership and rank and file of our Armed Forces, I commend your courage and sacrifice. This is a challenging moment for our nation and for the military itself. I charge you to remain resolute, restore peace across all theatres of operation, and uphold the highest standards of discipline. There must be no compromise, no collusion, and no negligence,” he added.
The President announced that the Federal Government would support state governments operating community-based security outfits.
Tinubu also urged the National Assembly to begin reviewing laws that would allow states seeking to establish their own police forces to do so.
He warned states against maintaining boarding schools in remote areas without adequate security and advised churches and mosques in vulnerable areas to engage security agencies when organising large gatherings.
On the lingering farmer–herder clashes, Tinubu restated that the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development would provide long-term solutions. He appealed to herders to embrace ranching, end open grazing, and surrender illegal weapons.
“I sympathise with the families who have lost their loved ones in recent attacks on soft targets in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe, and Kwara states. I also pay tribute to our brave soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba,” he said.
Warning criminal groups not to undermine the state, Tinubu emphasised that his administration possessed the resolve and capacity to secure the country.
“Fellow compatriots, I urge you not to give in to fear or despair. Stand firm to defend our freedom and values. Our administration will continue to guarantee peaceful co-existence and preserve our union.”
He called on citizens to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and cooperate with security agencies.
Tinubu’s declaration came amid nationwide outrage after the killing of at least five people in Kebbi and Kwara states, and the abduction of over 300 schoolchildren from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State, and St Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Niger State.
The Presidency on Monday said the United States Government has expressed readiness to deepen security cooperation with Nigeria through enhanced intelligence sharing, supply of defence equipment and other support to boost ongoing operations against terrorists and violent extremist groups.
It said the commitment followed a series of engagements held last week in Washington, DC, between a high-level Nigerian delegation and top US officials aimed at strengthening bilateral security ties and opening new areas of collaboration.
The delegation, led by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, met with senior officials from the US Congress, White House Faith Office, State Department, National Security Council and the Department of War.
Other members of the delegation included the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede; Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye; the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and two representatives from the Office of the NSA.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Nigerian team used the engagements to debunk allegations of genocide in the country, insisting that violent attacks cut across religious and ethnic divides.
Onanuga said the delegation also rejected what it described as the “wrongful framing” of Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that such portrayals risked further dividing citizens and misrepresenting realities on the ground.
“The discussions provided ample opportunity to correct misconceptions about Nigeria, forged a constructive, solution-driven partnership with the United States, reinforced mutual trust, and advanced a coordinated approach to protecting vulnerable communities, especially in the Middle Belt,” the statement read.
He added that the US expressed willingness to offer complementary support, including humanitarian assistance to affected populations in the Middle Belt and technical aid to strengthen early-warning mechanisms.
Onanuga said both countries agreed to immediately implement a non-binding cooperation framework and set up a Joint Working Group to coordinate agreed areas of collaboration. Nigeria, he added, reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing civilian protection measures.
“The Federal Government restates its awareness of heightened sensitivities regarding religious freedom and security, and urges citizens to remain assured that firm, urgent, and coordinated steps are being taken to secure the nation,” he stated.
The development comes weeks after former US President Donald Trump threatened to deploy American forces to Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” if the government failed to halt what he described as the killing of Christians.
Trump, who also designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution, had on his Truth Social platform accused the government of allowing the “mass slaughter” of Christians and warned that Washington could cut aid and take military action.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he wrote, adding that he had instructed the US Department of War to prepare for possible operations.
But President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly dismissed claims of genocide against Christians, maintaining that Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom, tolerance and the protection of all citizens regardless of faith.
Suspected bandits have abducted four rice farmers in Bokungi community, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening while the victims were working on their farms during the peak of the harvest season. It came barely 24 hours after gunmen attacked a church in Eruku, Ekiti LGA of the state, killing two worshippers and abducting several others.
According to sources, the attackers stormed the farms suddenly and surrounded the farmers as they gathered their harvested rice.
“It has been confirmed that bandits struck again at Bokungi under the Lafiagi Emirate. Four people were abducted. Information is still emerging,” the sources said.
Residents said the gunmen operated for several minutes without resistance, forcing the farmers into a nearby bush before whisking them away to an unknown location.
Community members also lamented rising insecurity in Edu LGA, noting that several farming settlements had been abandoned as farmers now fear venturing out during the harvest period when they are most vulnerable.
The Kwara State Police Command and the state government had yet to comment on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
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