As the world marks World Autism Day, Nigeria is once again confronted with challenges of expensive, exhausting, inaccessible, and often isolating care.
Development Diaries reports that therapy sessions cost tens of thousands of naira, specialists are concentrated in a few urban centres, and public systems that should support these families remain largely out of reach.
In simple terms, the burden of care has been quietly transferred from the state to already struggling households.
Every child, regardless of ability, has the right to health, education, dignity, and inclusion, with Nigeria already committed to protecting persons with disabilities through the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, which guarantees access to services and protection from discrimination.
Nigeria is also bound by global commitments like the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which requires governments to ensure accessible healthcare, inclusive education, and social protection.
Yet, for many families, these rights exist only on paper, because in practice, accessing therapy means long journeys, high costs, and limited availability.
Early diagnosis, which experts agree is critical, is often delayed because primary healthcare centres are not equipped to identify or manage developmental conditions like autism.
Schools, especially public ones, are rarely prepared to support children with diverse learning needs, leaving many either excluded or physically present but not meaningfully learning.
The responsibility for this gap sits squarely with the likes of the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Health Insurance Authority, the Federal Ministry of Education, and the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, who must be held accountable
For the Federal Ministry of Health, it must ensure that autism-related services, including speech and behavioural therapy, are integrated into primary healthcare and covered under national insurance schemes, while the National Health Insurance Authority must expand its coverage to include developmental and disability-related care so that therapy is not a privilege for a few.
The Federal Ministry of Education, on the other hand, must lead reforms to make inclusive education a reality by training teachers, providing assistive tools, and enforcing standards across schools. As for the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, it must move beyond advocacy and ensure that the disability law is actively enforced, especially in cases of discrimination in housing, education, and employment.
For their part, state governments cannot stand on the sidelines either, as they are closest to the people and must invest in community-level services, establish support centres, and ensure that families do not have to travel across cities just to access basic care.
But beyond institutions, there is also a societal issue that cannot be ignored, with stigma remaining a powerful barrier, as many families still hide children with autism out of fear of discrimination or misunderstanding.
In this situation, women, particularly mothers, bear the heaviest burden because they are often forced to leave their jobs to provide full-time care, leading to financial instability and, in some cases, abandonment.
This moment calls for more than awareness campaigns and themed hashtags. Citizens must begin to demand that autism care is included in public health insurance schemes so that families are not left to shoulder the full cost.
They must also demand that primary healthcare centres are equipped to provide early screening and basic support services and insist that schools become inclusive spaces where every child can learn.
Citizens can also act within their communities by challenging stigma, supporting families, and amplifying accurate information about autism because until care becomes accessible, affordable, and inclusive, World Autism Day will remain less of a celebration and more of a reminder of promises yet to be fulfilled.
Photo source: 21st Century Chronicle
