The Federal Government has unveiled a comprehensive reform programme aimed at transforming autism care in Nigeria through expanded specialist training, increased investments in tertiary institutions and the establishment of Autism Centres across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, announced the initiative during an engagement with stakeholders, describing it as a major step towards addressing the country’s shortage of professionals in Audiology, Speech and Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy.

According to the Minister, the number of Nigerian universities offering these specialised programmes has increased from about four to nearly sixteen under the ongoing education reforms, with plans to expand the programmes to more institutions to meet the growing demand for services for children living with autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other developmental conditions.

Alausa said the reforms align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and are designed to build the human capital required to strengthen diagnosis, therapy and rehabilitation services while reducing the need for families to seek specialised care abroad.

“Our Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education, is supporting this by expanding the number of institutions offering programmes in Audiology, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy. We have moved from about four universities to almost sixteen universities, but we want even more institutions to train the manpower needed to support these essential services,” he said.

The Minister lamented that many Nigerian families still travel overseas and even to neighbouring countries in search of specialised treatment for children with autism and ADHD due to limited local capacity, describing the situation as unacceptable.

To address the challenge, Alausa disclosed that beginning next year, the Federal Government will provide targeted interventions to universities offering the specialised programmes. The support, he said, will include expanded infrastructure, modern equipment and instructional materials to significantly boost the institutions’ capacity to train specialists.

He also revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education has directed the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to fast-track the accreditation of the Federal School of Occupational Therapy and the Occupational Therapy diploma programme at the University of Benin. The move is expected to create a seamless academic pathway from diploma to bachelor’s degree while strengthening professional career development.

The Minister commended universities that have introduced specialised programmes in line with the Federal Government’s policy direction, describing their efforts as critical to building the workforce needed to improve outcomes for children with developmental conditions.

Looking ahead, Alausa announced that the Federal Government will establish Autism Centres in each of the six geopolitical zones from 2027. The centres will provide comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic services, promote research and serve as regional centres of excellence supporting families, healthcare professionals and educational institutions.

“In 2027, we will open Autism Centres across the six geopolitical zones. These centres will focus on diagnosis, therapy and research to better support the needs of our citizens,” he said.

The Minister reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to working with universities, regulatory agencies and professional bodies to expand specialist training, strengthen institutional capacity and advance research and innovation in autism care, ensuring that every Nigerian child living with autism, ADHD and other developmental conditions has access to quality diagnosis, therapy, inclusive education and opportunities to reach their full potential.