The 16th Guaranty Trust Holding Company Autism Conference, held recently, reinforced the need for Nigeria to move beyond creating awareness about autism to building an education system that truly supports inclusion. Bringing together educators, behavioural specialists, therapists, caregivers and employers, the conference emphasised the critical role of schools and families in helping children on the autism spectrum to develop the communication, social and life skills needed to succeed. Funmi Ogundare reports
Sixteen years ago, conversations about autism in Nigeria were largely confined to whispers. Many families hid their children from public view, fearful of stigma, discrimination and misunderstanding. A diagnosis was often met with denial, while schools, workplaces and even healthcare providers had limited understanding of the condition.
Today, that narrative is slowly changing. Parents are increasingly seeking diagnoses, schools are beginning to embrace inclusive education, and organisations are creating platforms for conversations around neurodiversity. Yet, as experts recently converged on the Muson Centre, Lagos, for the 16th Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) Autism Conference, they observed that awareness alone is no longer enough. The challenge now is translating awareness into action.
The two-day conference, aptly themed ‘Acceptance in Action’, restated an important shift in autism advocacy, from simply telling people that autism exists to equipping families, schools and employers with practical skills to help autistic individuals thrive. Opening the conference, GTCO Group Chief Executive Officer, Segun Agbaje, highlighted the remarkable progress made since the organisation began its autism advocacy 16 years ago. He noted that awareness campaigns have helped to dismantle the culture of denial that once surrounded autism in Nigeria.
“I think that over a 16-year period, we have done a decent job of creating awareness,” he said. “Today, more families are willing to acknowledge that they have children or adults living on the spectrum, even if they do not fully understand why.”
According to him, the increased awareness has also helped many adults, including people in their 50s, to recognise that the academic and social struggles they experienced throughout their lives may have been linked to undiagnosed autism.
For Agbaje, however, awareness is only the beginning.
“The next thing we have to deal with is learning how to cope and learning how to live with people on the spectrum,” he noted, stressing that autism advocacy should now focus on helping families and communities to provide practical support rather than merely promoting acceptance.
He acknowledged that not every workplace would be able to accommodate every autistic individual because support needs vary considerably.
“There will be a lot of people who cannot work in Guaranty Trust simply because it would be too difficult for them and too difficult for the organisation,” he explained. “There will also be others who can. What we must do is learn how to live with people on the spectrum and help them cope.”
Describing autism advocacy as a journey without a destination, Agbaje noted that while there is still no cure for autism, society can continue improving understanding, strengthening support systems and making life easier for individuals on the spectrum and their families.
“Our responsibility is to educate you, help you cope and make the journey a little easier,” he added.
The conference featured discussions on ‘Bridging the gap between awareness and acceptance’; ‘Practical caregiver strategies, communication, regulation and daily routine’; ‘Transitioning and creating employment pathways for the adult on the spectrum’; ‘How everyday citizens can drive ‘Acceptance in Action’ from the home to the public square’, among others.
One of the strongest messages came from Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Consultant, Dr Bernadette Kilo, who argued that genuine inclusion begins within the family. Presenting her ‘Three A Framework’, (Acknowledge, Accept and Act), Kilo said that research consistently shows that children who experience acceptance at home are better equipped to deal with rejection outside the home.
“Charity begins at home. For the community to accept an autistic individual, the home and the family must first accept that individual. A child who is accepted at home can face any world,” she said.
International behaviour analyst and autism advocate Solape Azazi echoed the same message, urging families to make their homes spaces of acceptance, emotional safety, and predictable routines. According to her, meaningful inclusion begins long before a child enters school or the workplace.
“Acceptance must first be lived at home if we want autistic individuals to feel accepted in classrooms, workplaces and public spaces,” she said.
Drawing from her professional experience and personal journey as the mother of an autistic child, Azazi challenged parents to replace constant correction with meaningful connection. Rather than viewing behaviours as acts of disobedience, caregivers should see them as forms of communication.
“When a child covers his ears in a noisy room, the answer may simply be a quieter space, not another instruction,” she explained.
She encouraged parents to move from correction to connection, from survival to supportive routines, and from managing the child to creating environments built around dignity and growth. Azazi also urged parents to involve siblings in autism education, describing them as important allies in creating supportive home environments.
For board-certified behaviour analyst and Endicott College instructor, Lanre Duyile, acceptance cannot happen without understanding behaviour. He observed that many behaviours associated with autism are frequently misunderstood.
“You can’t talk about acceptance without understanding the behaviours of people who have autism,” he said, citing poor eye contact as one example that is often mistaken for disrespect when it is simply a characteristic of autism.
To help caregivers identify behavioural patterns, Duyile introduced the use of scatter plots, encouraging parents and professionals to observe behaviours over time before deciding on appropriate interventions.
Speech pathologist, Tomi Agboola-Odeleye challenged the belief that supporting non-speaking children requires expensive technology. She demonstrated how simple tools such as sign language, drawings, whiteboards, picture cards and photographs can significantly improve communication.
“We don’t always need to buy something super expensive in order to support people’s communication,” she said, adding that creativity and consistency often matter more than sophisticated devices.
She encouraged parents to use photographs of familiar foods, household items and daily activities to help children associate words with real-life experiences. She also highlighted the benefits of battery-operated voice output devices and tablet-based Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) applications that allow users to express themselves independently.
Looking beyond childhood, applied behaviour analyst and autism and marital health specialist Dr Torica Exume urged families, educators and employers to begin preparing autistic children for adulthood much earlier. She argued that every child possesses strengths that can become employable skills if properly identified and nurtured.
Children who demonstrate interests in drawing, engineering, reading, counting or social interaction, she noted, can be guided towards careers that align with those strengths.
“The children we are supporting today will eventually become adults working in our organisations. That is why parents, service providers, supervisors and employers all have a role to play in preparing them for successful careers,” she said.
Exume recommended vocational skills assessments from as early as age eight, with more comprehensive evaluations from age 12 to assess communication, organisation, problem-solving, work habits and daily living skills. She outlined a transition pathway that begins with therapy and foundational life skills, progresses through career exploration and vocational preparation, and culminates in internships, supported employment and sustainable career development.
She also called for greater emphasis on financial literacy, urging financial institutions to provide free training for autistic adults on budgeting, managing money, reading pay slips and paying bills. According to Exume, employers must equally create neuroinclusive workplaces through flexible work arrangements, structured communication systems, sensory-friendly environments, visual task guides and supportive supervision.
“Workplace inclusion should not be viewed as charity, but as a practical strategy for unlocking the potential of talented individuals on the autism spectrum,” she said.