14–15 October 2026
National Summit on Disability-Inclusive Climate Action
Main Conference Hall, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Shehu Shagari Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja · with international virtual participation
GDGI proposes the inaugural National Summit on Disability-Inclusive Climate Action at the Main Conference Hall, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Shehu Shagari Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja, on 14–15 October 2026. The summit is co-hosted by the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Technology and Operations, and the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), with financial sponsorship confirmed from the Nigeria country offices of ILO, UNFPA, CBM International and Justice Development and Peace Commission.
Nigeria is home to an estimated 19 million persons with disabilities who face two to four times higher climate vulnerability than the general population, yet only 30% of national climate plans worldwide contain disability-specific measures. The summit maps every session directly onto Nigeria’s existing climate governance architecture: the Climate Change Act 2021, the National Climate Change Policy 2021–2030, NDC 3.0, the Energy Transition Plan, and the Just Transition Guidelines and Action Plan. Its outcomes plug directly into national policy rather than sitting alongside it.
The primary outcome is the Abuja Declaration on Disability-Inclusive Climate Action: ten actionable national recommendations, technically validated by the NCCC, jointly signed by GDGI and its co-hosts, and transmitted to the COP31 Presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat.
The summit runs five thematic policy dialogue tracks: Climate Finance & Green Investment, PWD-Led Climate Adaptation & Community Resilience, Loss & Damage, Inclusive Climate Education & Technology, and Green Jobs & Entrepreneurship, each chaired by a named partner, alongside a pre-summit webinar and three peer-reviewed research papers.
The Ask: GDGI is seeking USD 87,000 (NGN 139,200,000) in cash sponsorship and USD 38,000 (NGN 60,800,000) in in-kind support against a fully itemised USD 125,000 budget, every line, from accessibility services to virtual-platform interpretation, is individually sponsorable.
It's already underway. On 19 August 2026, GDGI convened Honourable Members, government institutions, UN agencies and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities at the National Assembly Complex to help shape this summit.
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Ahead of the summit
Pre-summit webinar
Disability-Inclusive Climate Action in Nigeria: From Policy to Implementation
National Council on Climate Change, with NCPWD and the House Committees on Disability Matters and on Climate Change
Speakers
Webinar speakers
Alobu Innocent Onyemaechi
Programme Coordinator, CBM International Nigeria
Alobu Innocent Onyemaechi is a development and humanitarian professional with over 16 years of experience in disability-inclusive development, climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, WASH, and community-based inclusive development. He currently serves as Programme Coordinator at CBM International Nigeria, providing strategic and technical leadership for programmes that promote disability inclusion, community resilience, and sustainable development. Throughout his career, he has led and supported flagship initiatives including D-RAPID, ADID, BAADRIN, DIDRR, and disability law implementation projects across Nigeria. He holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering Technology and a master's degree in Health Planning and Management, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Climate Change Resilience and Sustainability. His work focuses on advancing inclusive policies, strengthening community resilience, and improving the socio-economic well-being and participation of persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Amina Audu
Founder, Rebuilding Hope on Wheels Initiative (RHOWI)
Amina Audu is an educator, researcher, and disability inclusion advocate, and the founder of the Rebuilding Hope on Wheels Initiative (RHOWI), where she works on disability inclusion, spinal cord injury awareness and rehabilitation, climate change and disability, inclusive education, and inclusive development. She is also a Lecturer at Federal University Gusau and is pursuing a PhD in Sociology of Education, researching disability, gender, and access to tertiary education in Northwest Nigeria. She served as a Pioneer Council Member of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), representing the North-West Zone, and also served as Acting Chairman of the Commission. She currently serves as a part-time Board Member of the School of Health Technology, Tsafe, a member of the Zamfara State Disability Board, and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Nigeria.
Kenneth Echiche
Disability Inclusion & Employment Advocate
Kenneth Echiche is a disability inclusion advocate with extensive experience in economic empowerment and inclusive workplaces. He has facilitated the employment of 87 persons with disabilities into government organisations, and is currently coordinating the recruitment of over 1,500 applicants with disabilities into the ongoing Federal Civil Service Commission recruitment and paramilitary organisations such as the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. He provides technical assistance on inclusive employment to the Federal House of Representatives Committee on Disability Matters and to the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities. He began his journey as a disability advocate as State Chairman of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Cross River State chapter, chairman of the Economy Empowerment of Nigeria Association of the Blind, and Chairman of Information and Special Matters for the University of Jos Student's Parliament. He is a certified youth inclusion advocate with We Can Work and JONAPWD. Kenneth Echiche holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication and a master's degree in Disabilities Leadership and Practice, and is a Senior Cultural Officer with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy.
Dr. Ohere Afen Pius
Member, Cross River State Disability Rights Commission
Dr. Ohere Afen Pius hails from Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, where he serves as a Member of the Cross River State Disability Rights Commission, representing the albinism community. His research interests span education, ethics, leadership, and the philosophy of disability.
Who's speaking
Featured speakers
Adv. Abhishek Kumar
Founder, The Sangyan · India
Speaking on: Disability-Inclusive Climate Finance: Pathways for the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund and Nigeria's Climate Change Fund
Abhishek Kumar is a lawyer, environmental researcher, and disability rights advocate, and the founder of The Sangyan, an initiative on the convergence of law, inclusion, and sustainability. He serves on India's Core Group on Disability-inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction, UNESCO-MGIEP's Youth Advisory Group, Sphere India's Sector Committee on Protection for Disaster Resilience and Humanitarian Response, and NCPEDP's National Disability Network. He has represented India at the 14th UNESCO Youth Forum, the 18th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation, and the G20 Brasil Youth Pre-Summit, and is a recipient of the 15th NCPEDP-Mphasis Universal Design Award (2024) and a Diversability D-30 Disability Impact List Honoree (2024), for his work on disability-inclusive and universally accessible climate action and disaster risk reduction.
Prof. Ngozi Obeta Anadi
Professor of Criminology & Security Studies, Nile University of Nigeria
Speaking on: Gender, Disability and Climate Resilience: Women and Girls with Disabilities in Nigeria's Climate and Disaster Response
Ngozi Obeta Anadi is a Professor of Criminology and Security Studies at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, where she also serves as Head of Department and Deputy Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies. She holds a bachelor's and master's degree in law, a master's degree in criminal justice, and a doctorate in public policy, and previously served as an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Southern University, New Orleans. Her research spans climate-change law and policy, gender inequality, human rights, and environmental governance, including work on the evolution of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities in international climate law and the development of a green economy in Nigeria's Niger Delta.
Prof. Oluwafemi Kehinde Akande
Professor of Architecture, Nile University of Nigeria
Speaking on: Green Jobs, Just Transition & Decent Work
Oluwafemi Kehinde Akande is a Professor of Architecture at Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, with a PhD in Architecture from Anglia Ruskin University and postdoctoral research at the University of Leeds. A Chartered Member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers and the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (UK), his research spans energy-efficient buildings, sustainable construction, and accessible design, including work on assistive technology in higher education and universal design in public library buildings. He has over 160 publications and more than 20 research best paper awards across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the UK.
Amina Batagarawa
Associate Professor; Convener, 54 Consortium
Amina Batagarawa is a seasoned academic leader and researcher with expertise in education, energy, and gender. As an Associate Professor and former Head of Department, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, guiding teams and fostering collaborative environments. She currently convenes the 54 Consortium, a pan-African collaboration on the research and development of clean cooking across African communities. Amina also chairs the Energy Transition Committee at the Women in Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria, and represents Africa and gender in the World Renewable Energy Network, chairing the annual Gender and Energy Session at the World Renewable Energy Congress. With her unique blend of academic and professional experience, Amina brings valuable insights and leadership expertise.
Partner with GDGI
Sponsorship bands
Every line of the $125,000 budget is individually sponsorable.
| Band | Contribution | Recognition |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor Sponsor | $20,000+ / ₦32,000,000+ | Confirmed: UNDP, ILO, Oxfam Nigeria |
| Section Sponsor | $6,000–19,999 / ₦9.6M–31.9M | Section naming rights + speaking slot |
| Line-Item Sponsor | $800–5,999 / ₦1.28M–9.59M | Named recognition on the sponsored line |
| In-Kind Partner | Any verifiable in-kind value | Credit proportional to contribution |
Programme
Five thematic policy dialogue tracks
- Disability-Inclusive Climate Finance & Green Investment, chaired by UNDP
- PWD-Led Climate Adaptation & Community Resilience, chaired by NCCC
- Loss & Damage: Disability-Specific Vulnerability & Response, chaired by Oxfam Nigeria
- Inclusive Climate Education, Technology & the ACE Pillar, IDA advisory
- Green Jobs, Clean Energy & Entrepreneurship for PWDs, chaired by ILO
Support the National Summit
Contact GDGI to discuss adopting a budget line, a full section, or an anchor sponsorship for the National Summit on Disability-Inclusive Climate Action.
Community partners
Partners supporting the Summit
