By Mutiu Abdullahi
Stakeholders in autism and disability support have called for increased government funding, stronger policies and greater private-sector support to improve access to intervention and other support services for persons living with autism.
They made the call at the RISE Summit 2026, organised by Patrick Speech and Language Centre and Pure Souls Learning Foundation, to mark 20 years of intervention and support for children, young adults and families.
The Founder of the organisations, Mrs Dotun Akande, said the summit was designed to move beyond early intervention to employment, independence and meaningful contribution by young adults with autism.
Akande said the theme, “From Cradle to Contribution”, reflected the organisation’s transition from early intervention to preparing young adults for life beyond parental care.
“We are raising abilities, inspiring growth, strengthening inclusion, and we are empowering the contribution of the adults,” she said.
She urged parents not to limit their children because of their difficulties, but to identify their abilities and provide opportunities for them to develop their skills.
“Education is very important, but even more important is what we can find our hands to do,” Mrs Akande said, adding that abilities such as drawing, sewing, shoemaking and other creative skills could be developed through practice and appropriate support.
She also appealed to government to support families facing financial difficulties in providing education, feeding, medication and other forms of care for their children.
Mrs Akande urged families and members of the public to seek information from experts, support organisations and non-governmental organisations working in the autism community.
Also speaking, Mrs Adenike Oyetunde Lawal, General Manager, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), said the 20-year journey of the organisations demonstrated the importance of sustained partnerships in supporting persons with disabilities and their families.
Mrs Oyetunde-Lawal called for a unified position on policy priorities arising from discussions at the summit, saying existing policies should be reviewed to identify gaps and improve their implementation.
“How about we check what currently exists, and start to see what the loopholes are, and fill those loopholes so they become better,” she said.
She said Lagos had structures and programmes that could be strengthened through greater participation by beneficiaries and stakeholders, adding that lessons from the state could also contribute to improving disability support across the country.
Mr Yinka Ogunnubi, a father of a child with autism, called on policymakers to give greater attention to autism at the national level and increase funding for support services.
Mr Ogunnubi advocated an interdepartmental government structure that would bring together the education and health aspects of autism support, saying the responsibility should not be left to one ministry.
He also expressed support for a bill seeking the establishment of a national centre on autism, saying a dedicated structure would provide a basis for coordinated government intervention and funding.
Mr Ogunnubi further urged the private sector to provide significant and sustained funding to organisations already providing intervention services, stressing that support should reach families who cannot afford specialised services.
“The real test is to do this at scale, with significant funding coming from government and non-government alike. We need significant funding,” he said.
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