TAF Africa Deploys Sign Language Interpreters, 150 Observers to Boost Inclusion in Governorship Election

By Pan Afric Reporters

In a major effort to promote inclusive participation in Nigeria’s electoral process, TAF Africa, with support from the European Union, has announced the deployment of 25 sign language interpreters and 150 election observers to support persons with disabilities during the forthcoming governorship election.

The initiative is aimed at ensuring that voters with disabilities, particularly those with hearing impairments, are not excluded from the electoral process while also monitoring compliance with electoral guidelines designed to guarantee accessibility and inclusion.

Speaking during an engagement with journalists, the Programme Manager of TAF Africa, Dr. Andrew Adaji, said the organization would station sign language interpreters at some of the largest polling units where persons with hearing impairments are expected to vote.

According to him, the deployment forms part of a broader intervention supported by the European Union to strengthen democracy, good governance, and inclusive electoral participation.

“We are deploying our 25 sign language interpreters to the biggest polling units where we have persons with hearing impairment. We are also deploying 150 observers to polling units where we have persons with disabilities to observe whether INEC is complying with its guidelines for persons with disabilities,” Adaji said.

He noted that while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made significant progress in addressing the needs of some categories of persons with disabilities, more work remains to be done, especially for voters with hearing impairments.

“To an extent, INEC is prepared for persons with disabilities, but they cannot do it alone. That is why we are supporting. For persons with visual impairment or low vision, INEC is deploying magnifying glasses and other assistive materials,” he explained.

However, Adaji pointed out that specific arrangements for voters with hearing impairments are still limited, prompting TAF Africa’s intervention.

“For people with hearing impairment, arrangements have not been adequately made by INEC, so we are supporting the commission with sign language interpretation services. Going forward, we hope to institutionalize this support so that INEC can engage sign language interpreters as part of its ad hoc election staff,” he said.

The TAF Africa Programme Manager also commended efforts by INEC to improve physical accessibility at polling units, citing observations from previous elections in states such as Anambra.

“One of the things INEC has tried to do is make polling units physically accessible. In our observations during previous elections, many polling units were accessible. The major gap we identified was support for persons with hearing impairment, which is why we have stepped in,” he added.

The deployment underscores growing collaboration between civil society organizations, development partners, and electoral authorities to ensure that Nigeria’s democratic process remains inclusive and accessible to all citizens, regardless of disability.

Observers say the initiative could serve as a model for future elections by expanding opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate fully in governance and democratic decision-making.