WorldStage– The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has unveiled a major Federal Government initiative to transform autism care in Nigeria through expanded specialist training, targeted investments in tertiary institutions and the establishment of Autism Centres across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Alausa disclosed the development during an engagement with stakeholders and said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is investing in the human capital needed to strengthen diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation services while ensuring that Nigerian families can increasingly access quality care within the country.
The Minister said the initiative represents a significant step towards addressing the nation’s shortage of highly skilled professionals in Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy.
He pointed out that the number of universities offering the specialised programmes has increased from about four to almost sixteen under the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms.
He added that the administration is committed to expanding the programmes to more institutions to meet the growing demand for services for children living with autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other developmental conditions.
“Our Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, is supporting this by expanding the number of institutions offering programmes in Audiology, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy. We have moved from about four universities to almost sixteen universities, but we want even more institutions to train the manpower needed to support these essential services,” he stated.
The Minister observed that many Nigerian families still travel abroad and even to neighbouring countries in search of specialised care for children with autism and ADHD because of limited local capacity, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“Today, many families still have to travel outside Nigeria to access care for their autistic children. This is not acceptable, and the Federal Government is determined to change that.”
To accelerate the reforms, Alausa announced that beginning next year, the Federal Government will provide targeted interventions to universities offering the specialised programmes.
The support, according to him, will include the expansion of infrastructure, provision of modern equipment and instructional materials to significantly increase institutions’ capacity to train professionals in Audiology, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy.
The Minister also disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education has 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, creating a seamless academic progression from diploma to bachelor’s degree while strengthening professional career pathways.
He commended universities that have embraced the Federal Government’s policy direction by introducing specialised programmes, describing their efforts as critical to building the workforce required to improve outcomes for children with developmental conditions.
Looking ahead, the Minister announced that beginning in 2027, the Federal Government will establish Autism Centres in each of the six geopolitical zones.
He said the centres will provide comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services, promote research and serve as regional centres of excellence supporting families, healthcare professionals and educational institutions.
He said: “In 2027, we will open Autism Centres across the six geopolitical zones. These centres will focus on diagnosis, therapy and research to better support the needs of our citizens.”Dr Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to working with universities, regulatory agencies and professional bodies to expand specialist training, strengthen institutional capacity and advance research and innovation in autism care, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to ensure that every Nigerian child with autism, ADHD and other developmental conditions has access to quality diagnosis, therapy, inclusive education and the opportunity to realise their full potential.
