MTN Nigeria has reported a measurable increase in the representation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) within its workforce, rising from 0.9 per cent in 2021 to 2.13 per cent in 2025.
The Chief Human Resources Officer of MTN Nigeria, Esther Akinnukawe, disclosed this on Wednesday at the company’s headquarters in Lagos during the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD).
The event was held with the theme, “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress.”
Akinnukawe said the progress recorded was the result of a broader framework of structural reforms rather than isolated charitable actions. Represented at the event by the General Manager, OE&P, Inyang Osazuwa, she described MTN’s diversity agenda as one driven by investment and accountability.
She explained that the gains were supported by a structured “reasonable accommodation” framework, which includes capital investments in facility upgrades such as ramps, modified workspaces and hearing loops in customer-facing centres. She added that the company had also integrated a dedicated disability segment into its customer lifecycle management system.
“Our brand must speak to everyone,” she said.
Akinnukawe further stated that MTN would sustain the Information Technology (IT) Bridge Academy internship programme, now in its second year, which is aimed at bridging the digital skills gap for PWDs in the broader labour market.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Karl Toriola, said the company’s Beyond Barriers plan was a sustainability imperative designed to serve a segment of the population often overlooked by corporate organisations.
Represented by the Chief Broadband Officer, Egerton Idehen, Toriola referenced estimates indicating that about 35 million Nigerians live with visible or invisible disabilities, noting that exclusion of this group amounts to a significant economic loss.
“Inclusion is essential for innovation, growth and national development, and MTN is committed to the Beyond Barriers roadmap,” he said.
Toriola added that accessibility in both digital infrastructure and physical workspaces would remain a core pillar of the company’s 2025 corporate strategy.
In a keynote address, a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) expert, Dolapo Agbede, examined the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), urging the private sector to move from treating inclusion as a voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility activity to recognising it as a governance obligation.
The Lagos State Chairman of the Albinism Association of Nigeria, Tolani Ojuri, who led a session on workplace myths and stigma surrounding albinism, called for targeted policy reforms to protect employees with the condition.
The event host, David Ubon, a PWD, reinforced calls for inclusion by sharing personal experiences, while a MTN Nigeria staff member and PWD, David Orinya, affirmed the company’s inclusive work culture.
“My difference is not a barrier here; it is a unique perspective,” Orinya said.