The Federal Government plans to establish six regional autism centres across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones in 2027 to improve access to diagnosis, therapy and research services for children with autism and other developmental conditions. The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, disclosed this in Abuja during an engagement with stakeholders, saying the centres would also support families, healthcare professionals and educational institutions.
Alausa said the initiative would help address the shortage of specialists in audiology, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy. He noted that the number of universities offering related programmes had increased from four to about 16, while the government planned targeted interventions in 2027 to provide infrastructure, modern equipment and instructional materials to further expand training capacity.
The minister said many Nigerian families still travel abroad to seek specialised care for children with autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) because of limited local capacity. He described the situation as unacceptable and said the government was determined to strengthen domestic services and reduce the need for families to seek care outside the country.
Alausa also disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education had directed the National Board for Technical Education to fast-track accreditation for occupational therapy programmes at the Federal School of Occupational Therapy and the University of Benin. He said the measures would strengthen specialist training, research and professional development while improving access to quality diagnosis, therapy and inclusive education for children with developmental conditions.
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