By Chinenye Anuforo
Mr. Lukeman Salami, a seasoned legal practitioner who was one of the speakers at a workshop on “Improving access and inclusion for people with disabilities (PWDs) in digital financing,” organised by Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) in Lagos, has firsthand experience of the invisible barriers faced by persons with disabilities in everyday life.
However, he was unprepared for the discriminatory treatment he encountered when attempting to obtain a simple ATM card.
The incident occurred at a prominent Nigerian bank. Salami, who is blind, approached a customer service representative to request an ATM card application form.
As soon as the representative realised his disability, her demeanor changed. She collected the form she had just handed him and replaced it with a different one. This new form required Salami to obtain a court affidavit and sign an indemnity form, a process that was both time-consuming and costly.
The representative’s actions were a stark reminder of the systemic barriers that persons with disabilities often face in accessing basic financial services.
According to Salami, while telling his story to stakeholders gathered for the CADEF workshop, he was not only inconvenienced but also humiliated by the discriminatory treatment he received.
“The incident left me feeling isolated, frustrated and questioning the bank’s commitment to inclusivity,” he said.
He highlighted other challenges faced by PWDs, such as ATMs not being accessible for blind users (lack of speech functionality), physical barriers in bank branches (e.g, inaccessible entrances) and untrained staff who are not prepared to assist PWDs.
Salami pointed out collaboration between banks and disability organisations as a key solution.
He advocated accessible digital platforms (websites and mobile apps) with features like screen readers and voice recognition, accessible ATMs with speech functionality, staff training on disability awareness and how to assist PWDs and inclusion of PWDs in the design and development of financial services.
This experience is not unique to Salami. Many individuals with disabilities in Nigeria encounter similar challenges when trying to open bank accounts, obtain loans or access other financial services.
Another example of the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing financial services is the case of Yemisi Afolabi, a young woman, who uses a wheelchair. When Afolabi visited her bank to resolve issues with her account, she was directed to the customer service area upstairs in the banking hall.
Despite her mobility limitations, the bank did not have any ramps or other accessible features to accommodate her needs. The incident, she said, left her feeling frustrated and excluded, also highlighting the systemic barriers that individuals with disabilities often encounter in their daily lives.
“These barriers can have a profound impact on the lives of PWDs, limiting their economic opportunities and hindering their ability to participate fully in society,” stated Adesola Aina, vice chairman, Association for the Blind.
He said the incident also highlighted the need for financial institutions in Nigeria to adopt more inclusive practices. “By providing accessible services and training staff to be sensitive to the needs of individuals with disabilities, banks can play a crucial role in promoting financial inclusion and empowering marginalised communities,” he said.
Corroborating him, Mr. Opeodu Akinola, an expert in tech accessibility for PWDs with Accesstech, said: “As Mr. Salami’s story demonstrates, the invisible barriers faced by persons with disabilities are not merely physical but also psychological. The discriminatory treatment he experienced can have a lasting impact on his self-esteem and sense of belonging. It is imperative that we work together to dismantle these barriers and create a more inclusive and equitable society for all.”
He emphasized the importance of universal design as a cornerstone for ensuring equal access to financial services for all Nigerians. Akinola highlighted the need for financial institutions to adopt a universal design approach in their product development and service delivery.
“Universal design means creating products and services that are usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities. By embracing this principle, financial institutions can ensure that people with disabilities have the same opportunities to access and utilise financial services as their peers,” he said.
The expert emphasised that implementing universal design was not only a moral imperative but also a sound business decision. “Studies have shown that inclusive financial services can lead to increased customer satisfaction, loyalty, and revenue. By catering to the needs of people with disabilities, financial institutions can tap into a vast and underserved market segment,” Akinola explained.
Safiu Babatunde, head of legal services at the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs, also speaking at the workshop, emphasised the importance of financial inclusion for people with disabilities. He pointed out the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities in accessing traditional and digital financial services and called for innovative solutions to address these barriers.
Babatunde said: “Disability-related obstacles affect the participation of individuals at every stage of developmental interventions intended to boost livelihoods of people. Key among the resources essential for enhancing the livelihood of individuals is having access to financial resources for undertaking economic activities.
“Unfortunately, over the years, traditional banks do not seem to have served people with disability-related obstacles. Persons with disability have limited access to financial services, including traditional and alternative banking, online payment services, and financial transactions as well as mobile banking applications.”
Babatunde argued the need for public-private partnerships to promote financial inclusion for people with disabilities: “This partnership can bring together government agencies, financial institutions, and disability organisations to collaborate on developing and implementing initiatives that promote financial inclusion for these concerned populations.”
In her opening remarks, Professor Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, executive director of CADEF, highlighted the organisation’s commitment to promoting financial inclusion and empowerment for marginalised communities. She emphasized the need for inclusive financial products and services that cater to the specific needs of people with disabilities.
She said: “We have already successfully empowered over 50 persons with hearing disability and over 30 persons with visual disability. We empowered them, we provided financial literacy training, we took them through the programme, we listened to their voices, and that’s why this final session is here.”
