At the conclusion of a high-level One-Day Media Roundtable held at the Golden Tulip Onopa Event Centre in Yenagoa, stakeholders, including media practitioners, disability advocates, and government representatives, issued a strong call for intensified media action to hold the Nigerian government accountable for its commitments made at the Global Disability Summit 2025 (GDS25).
Organized by the Albinism Association of Nigeria (AAN) with funding support from the Disability Rights Fund (DRF), the roundtable focused on promoting sustained media engagement around disability inclusion and ensuring full implementation of national and international disability-related commitments especially those concerning persons with albinism.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, participants unanimously affirmed that the media has a vital role in amplifying disability issues, tracking policy implementation, and shaping inclusive public discourse. The communiqué emphasized the need for inclusive storytelling, media capacity building, strategic partnerships with Disabled Persons’ Organizations (DPOs), and the establishment of media structure s that support long-term advocacy.
Key resolutions reached during the roundtable included:
- The media must actively promote and amplify Nigeria’s GDS-2025 commitments, particularly those affecting marginalized groups like persons with albinism.
- Inclusive, rights-based storytelling should be prioritized to reflect the lived experiences of persons with disabilities.
- Continuous training is required to strengthen media capacity on ethical and impactful disability reporting.
- Journalists and media outlets must partner with OPDs to track progress on disability policies.
- Strategic collaboration between media institutions and organizations like AAN is essential for sustained visibility and public accountability.
In addition, participants adopted the following action points:
- Creation of a Media-Disability Advocacy Network to facilitate ongoing collaboration and information-sharing.
- Development of a Media Toolkit on Inclusive Reporting to guide responsible journalism on disability.
- Issuance of regular updates by AAN on the progress of Nigeria’s GDS25 commitments.
- Advocacy for the establishment of dedicated disability desks within mainstream media organizations.
- Organization of biannual media roundtables to review progress and refine advocacy strategies.
Delivering his remarks at the close of the meeting, Mr. Joseph Akuse, Program Manager of AAN, expressed appreciation to all participants and the Disability Rights Fund for their support. He stressed that media actors must see themselves not just as reporters, but as partners in promoting equity, visibility, and inclusion.
“If the
media does not tell our stories consistently and accurately, the issues affecting persons with albinism and other disabilities may never receive the attention they deserve. This meeting has set a new direction for engagement and accountability,” he stated.
The Media Roundtable represents a critical step forward in building strategic alliances for disability rights advocacy in Nigeria. AAN reaffirmed its commitment to working with the media to ensure that no one is left behind in the journey toward inclusive development.
