As Nigeria rapidly embraces digital transformation and financial inclusion, a significant portion of its population, Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, remains left behind.
Despite advances in mobile banking and digital platforms, PWDs continue to face barriers that underscore a larger issue of systematic marginalization. From inaccessible digital platforms to poorly trained personnel, these challenges hinder PWDs' financial independence and limit their participation in the economy.
Struggles in accessing financial services
Vice Chairman of the Association for the Blind in Nigeria, Mr Adeola Aina, describes the frustration that many visually impaired individuals face when navigating the banking system. He notes that digital platforms designed for convenience are often inaccessible to PWDs. For visually impaired individuals, USSD banking services, a widely used tool, pose serious difficulties. The service's time constraints and non-speech-enabled token systems are particularly problematic, requiring them to pay for alternative token services that still don't offer independence.
Aina highlights the pervasive issue of inaccessible digital banking tools: "Internet banking is a nightmare for us. While some banks have somewhat accessible apps, it's more by chance than by design.
"A survey we conducted across 10 banks supports this claim, revealing that most mobile apps remain unusable for PWDs due to poor design, buttons lack labels, and built-in accessibility features like speech capabilities are incompatible with the apps. Additionally, the increasing reliance on facial recognition further alienates visually impaired users."
Aina continued: "The exclusion extends to those with other disabilities as well. Individuals with albinism, for example, struggle with poor color contrasts in mobile banking apps, while those using wheelchairs often find ATM machines and banking halls physically inaccessible.
Discriminatory practices
Discrimination further compounds these challenges. Aina recalls being locked out of a bank by a security guard in Lagos simply because he was using a cane. Though he received an apology from the bank afterward, the experience underscores the daily indignities PWDs face.
Aina proposes involving PWDs as testers in digital platform development to identify accessibility issues early. He also advocates for speech-enabled ATMs, citing their successful implementation in other countries.
Similarly, Chairman of the Nigerian Association for the Blind, Mr Lukman Salami, shares a similar story.
When renewing his ATM card at a First Bank branch in the University of Lagos, Unilag, he was required to sign an indemnity form that mandated appointing someone else to operate the ATM on his behalf.
He questioned why banks punish visually impaired customers for their failure to implement accessible technology like speech-enabled ATMs. "It's not about our inability," he says. "It's about the bank's failure to innovate."
These experiences are not isolated but reflect systemic gaps that force PWDs to rely on others, robbing them of financial independence and reinforcing the notion that they are a burden.
A law with limited impact
In 2018, Nigeria enacted the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act to protect PWDs from exclusion and ensure public spaces, including banks, are accessible. However, six years later, enforcement remains weak.
Salami points out that while the law imposes fines for discrimination, the true problem lies in the systems themselves being inaccessible.
He recounted a recent legal case where a woman with a disability sued a bank for maltreatment.
He said: "The Federal Court in Lagos dismissed the case on a technicality, highlighting the barriers PWDs face in seeking justice. Legal protections without practical implementation only serve to reinforce the marginalization of PWDs in Nigeria.
Seeking solutions
Experts and advocates call for a shift in how financial services are designed and delivered.
Executive Director of the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation, CADEF, Prof. Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, is pushing for inclusive financial systems.
Speaking at a one-day workshop in Lagos organized by the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation, CADEF, in partnership with Consumers International, she explained that CADEF has trained over 80 PWDs in digital financial literacy, a vital step toward ensuring that PWDs are not further marginalized in the digital age. Ndukwe-Okafor emphasizes that partnerships between the public and private sectors are crucial in driving real change.
Universal design and way forward
A technology accessibility expert with Access, Opeodu Akinola, stresses that the barriers PWDs face are both physical and psychological.
He advocates for the adoption of universal design principles--creating products and services usable by all individuals, regardless of their abilities.
He said: "By embracing universal design, financial institutions can ensure PWDs have the same access and opportunities as others. Moreover, inclusive financial services make good business sense, as they lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue by tapping into an underserved market.
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Financial institutions' commitment
Senior Manager at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Adeniyi Bunmi, acknowledges the importance of addressing the financial exclusion of PWDs.
She stresses the need for alignment between disability groups and financial institutions to meet Nigeria's 95 percent financial inclusion target.
"While progress has been made, more needs to be done," Bunmi says, noting that the Financial Inclusion Steering Committee, chaired by the CBN Governor, prioritizes PWDs.
Additionally, Arinola Momoh-Ayokanmbi of the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, LASCOPA, reiterates the agency's commitment to holding financial institutions accountable for ensuring access to PWDs.
Banks like Zenith have also expressed dedication to improving accessibility, but the everyday experiences of people like Aina and Salami show there is still a long way to go.
The digital exclusion of PWDs in Nigeria's financial services is both a technical and a social problem. While legal frameworks like the 2018 Disabilities Act offer some protections, weak enforcement and inaccessible systems continue to hinder PWDs' access to essential financial services. By embracing universal design, training personnel, and actively involving PWDs in digital product development, Nigeria can move closer to its goal of financial inclusion for all citizens.
