Social Work and Disability Inclusion in Workplace Settings in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory

Disability inclusion in the workplace is a key dimension of social equity and a professional responsibility that intersects with social work competencies in advocacy, policy analysis, and organisational change. This study examines the role of social workers in promoting disability inclusion in workplace settings in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, with focus on both public and private sector organisations in Garki and Wuse districts. A mixed-method design is employed, with 70 human resource managers, social workers, and employees with disabilities surveyed through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and content analysis are applied in data interpretation. The study finds that disability inclusion policies in most organisations are either absent or inadequately implemented, and that social workers are rarely engaged as workplace inclusion specialists despite their relevant competencies. Employees with disabilities report discrimination in recruitment, limited access to workplace accommodations, and marginalisation in career progression. Social workers who do practise in workplace settings are concentrated in welfare and employee assistance functions that often do not extend to disability advocacy. Recommendations include integrating workplace inclusion into social work professional standards, training social workers in disability rights frameworks applicable to employment, and developing model disability inclusion policies for adoption by federal government agencies in the FCT. Keywords: disability inclusion, workplace, social work, Federal Capital Territory, employment equity