Theoretical and Empirical Examination of Neurodiversity Paradigm Applicability in Nigerian Special Education Practice

This doctoral study conducts a theoretical and empirical examination of the applicability of the neurodiversity paradigm to Nigerian special education practice, contributing an original critical perspective on whether this paradigm, developed primarily in Western autistic self-advocacy contexts, offers a productive framework for reconceptualising special education in Nigeria. The neurodiversity paradigm, which frames cognitive and neurological differences as natural human variation rather than deficits requiring remediation, has profoundly influenced special education discourse internationally. Its applicability in resource-constrained, collectivist-oriented, and post-colonial contexts such as Nigeria raises important theoretical and ethical questions that have not been addressed in existing literature. The study employs a critical theoretical methodology combining systematic literature review, philosophical analysis, and an empirical grounded theory investigation. The empirical phase involves in-depth interviews with forty-five stakeholders including autistic adults, parents, educators, and researchers across Nigeria, exploring their understandings of neurological difference, educational need, and identity. Interpretive analysis generates a substantive theory of neurodiversity understanding and application in Nigerian contexts. The study produces an original theoretical position on the conditions under which neurodiversity framings can and cannot productively inform Nigerian special education policy and practice, and identifies a contextually situated formulation of neurodiversity principles that acknowledges local realities. Recommendations address how neurodiversity-aligned approaches might be integrated into Nigerian teacher education without obscuring genuine support needs. Keywords: neurodiversity paradigm, special education, Nigeria, theoretical analysis, grounded theory.