The first edition of the Forum for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), hosted by Jobberman Nigeria in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, left attendees filled with gratitude and satisfaction. Held at the International Conference Centre in Ibadan, the event brought PWDs a step closer to achieving their business and career goals. The forum, themed ‘Empowered to Achieve More’, focused on providing practical guidance for building or scaling small businesses and pursuing career aspirations.
Participants left the forum with renewed hope and direction, excited about the new insights they gained. Many expressed how the knowledge acquired would help them start or expand their businesses and advance their careers. One enthusiastic attendee shared how she often felt overlooked at other empowerment events but felt completely at home at this forum, surrounded by fellow PWDs. She also appreciated the accessibility features of the venue.
A physically challenged business owner, whose enterprise focuses on manufacturing accessible products like toilets for PWDs, attended the event and expressed his deep satisfaction with the agenda, especially the panel session which had an array of PWDs entrepreneurs like him. He shared that he gained a wealth of practical solutions to some of his business challenges.
The keynote address was delivered by Barr. Ayodele Adekanmbi, Director General of the Oyo State Agency for Persons with Disabilities. In his speech, he highlighted that approximately 2 million persons with disabilities live in Oyo State and discussed some of the significant challenges they face, including access to training, educational facilities, awareness, and funding. He also outlined various interventions by the Oyo State government to support PWDs, such as ensuring that 50% of key government positions are occupied by individuals with disabilities. Barr. Adekanmbi expressed deep gratitude to Jobberman for its significant contributions toward empowering more PWDs and urged non-governmental and corporate organisations, as well as educational and religious bodies, to play a more active role in enhancing the quality of life for PWDs.
The forum’s Q&A session was highly interactive, with attendees asking questions about topics like tailoring CVs without prior experience and addressing concerns about disabilities affecting job suitability. The panelists and professionals responded with practical, insightful, and empathetic answers.
Ahmed Alaga, Head of Partnerships at Jobberman, discussed the motivation behind hosting the PWD Forum, emphasising Jobberman’s commitment to inclusivity. He noted that, alongside initiatives like the She’s More program—which aims to train over 500,000 women in business and vocational skills—the PWD Forum is a crucial part of Jobberman’s broader effort to promote inclusivity through its partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
The success of this inaugural event marks an important step toward empowering PWDs and fostering an inclusive workforce in Nigeria, one state at a time. Jobberman remains committed to continuing its work alongside the Mastercard Foundation to support marginalised communities and drive sustainable change.
About Jobberman Nigeria
Jobberman Nigeria is Nigeria’s leading career development and recruitment solutions company, connecting qualified job seekers with verified employers through online career development support, training services, and personalised HR solutions for job seekers and employers.
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation partners with visionary organisations to empower young people in Africa and Indigenous communities in Canada, enabling them to access dignified work. The Foundation envisions a future where youth drive transformative change, supported by systems and policies that foster employment, entrepreneurship, and growth, ensuring opportunities for all to learn and prosper.
