By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Nigeria’s shortage of specialists in autism care, coupled with the growing number of families seeking diagnosis and therapy abroad, has prompted the Federal Ministry of Education to introduce reforms aimed at strengthening services for children with Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and other developmental conditions.
Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education, says the reforms focus on expanding the country’s specialist workforce by increasing the number of universities offering programmes in Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy from about four to almost sixteen, with plans to extend the programmes to more institutions.
Beginning next year, the federal government will provide targeted support to universities offering specialized programmes through improved infrastructure, modern equipment, and instructional materials.
The Ministry has also directed the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to fast-track the accreditation of the Federal School of Occupational Therapy and the Occupational Therapy diploma programme at the University of Benin to strengthen professional training and career progression.
Dr. Alausa also announced that from 2027, the federal government will establish Autism Centres in each of the six geopolitical zones to provide diagnosis, therapy, and research services.
