Enhancing Energy Access for Persons with Disabilities in Nigeria: Policy and Practice Review

Persons with disabilities in Nigeria experience disproportionate energy poverty, as their specific needs for medical devices, mobility equipment charging, communication assistive technology, and extended home care are rarely considered in standard energy access programme design. This study reviews the policy and practice landscape for energy access provision to persons with disabilities in Nigeria, evaluating the inclusiveness of national and state-level energy access programmes, household energy profiles of disability-affected households, and recommendations for programme redesign. Document analysis of 12 national and state energy policies and programme guidelines was supplemented by a nationwide survey of 180 households containing persons with disabilities across six geopolitical zones, documenting energy access levels, specific energy needs, and unmet energy service gaps. Interviews with disability rights organisations and energy programme managers provided stakeholder perspectives on inclusion gaps. Results confirm that no existing energy access programme in Nigeria includes disability-specific targeting criteria, and 81 percent of disability-affected households surveyed do not have access to reliable electricity for medical or assistive equipment needs. The energy needs of persons requiring motorised wheelchairs, respiratory support devices, and hearing aid chargers are entirely unaddressed by current subsidy and distribution frameworks. The study recommends disability-inclusive energy access criteria in all Rural Electrification Agency and State Rural Electrification Agency programme designs and proposes a disability energy needs assessment toolkit for field deployment. Keywords: disability-inclusive energy, energy access, Nigeria, persons with disabilities, inclusive development.