Analytical Investigation of the Sociology of Disability and Workplace Inclusion in Nigerian Public Sector Organisations

The legal framework for disability inclusion in Nigerian public sector employment has expanded through the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act 2018, yet the sociological mechanisms sustaining exclusion despite legal provisions remain analytically underexamined. This study analytically investigates the sociology of disability and workplace inclusion in Nigerian public sector organisations, focusing on federal ministries in Abuja and Lagos State civil service departments. A mixed-methods analytical design was adopted, combining analysis of workforce disability representation data from twelve public sector organisations, structured surveys administered to 180 employees with disabilities, and thirty-two interviews with HR managers, disability rights advocates, and non-disabled colleagues. The Critical Disability Studies and Ableism Theory frameworks guided analysis. Results indicate that persons with disabilities constituted 1.2% of the studied workforce, far below the 5% reservation policy target. Physical infrastructure non-compliance, including absence of ramps, accessible toilets, and hearing loop systems, was documented in 75% of visited workplaces. Recruitment discrimination was reported by 68% of disabled respondents at the point of job application, including exclusion from interviews upon disability disclosure. Attitudinal barriers from supervisors, measured through an implicit association assessment, revealed significant ableist assumptions regarding productivity in 61% of tested managers. Reasonable accommodation requests were granted fully in only 29% of cases. The study analytically maps the ableism infrastructure sustaining disability exclusion in Nigerian public sector employment and identifies specific leverage points for legal and organisational reform. Keywords: disability inclusion, workplace, public sector, ableism, Nigeria.