The federal government has increased the number of universities offering autism-related programmes in Nigeria to about 16 from the previous four.
Tunji Alausa, minister of education, stated this on
Wednesday during an engagement with stakeholders in Abuja, noting that the
centres have been spread across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
In a statement on Wednesday by Ikharo Attah, his media aide,
Alausa said the move is aimed at transforming autism care in Nigeria through
expanded specialist training and increased investment in existing tertiary
institutions with autism centres.
The minister noted that the initiative represents a
significant step towards addressing the country’s shortage of highly skilled
professionals in audiology, speech and language therapy, and occupational
therapy.
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,” the minister was quoted
as saying.
“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.”
Alausa said the President Bola Tinubu administration is
investing in the human capital needed to strengthen diagnosis, therapy, and
rehabilitation services while ensuring Nigerian families can increasingly
access quality care within the country.
‘ACCESSING AUTISM CARE ABROAD UNACCEPTABLE’
The minister expressed displeasure that many Nigerian
families still travel abroad and even to neighbouring countries in search of
specialised care for children with autism and ADHD due to 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,” he said.
To accelerate the reforms, Alausa said the government would
provide targeted interventions to universities offering the specialised
programmes from the beginning of 2027.
“The support 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,” he said.
He added that the 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 (UNIBEN).
Alausa said the government would also establish autism
centres in each of the six geopolitical zones from the beginning of next year.
According to him, 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 reaffirmed the ministry’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 the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope
Agenda.
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