By Gabriel Ewepu

In a bid to deepen inclusion education, the Federal University of Lafia  is to commence a professional Master’s Degree Programme in Disability Studies.

This was made known in a statement e-signed by  the Head of Communication, Data-Lead Africa,  Felicia Ayodele, on the heels of Data-Lead Africa signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Federal University of Lafia, which took place at Deaf-in-Tech’s headquarters in Abuja.

The signing was led by Director, Centre for Disability Studies, Prof. Adaka Terfa Ahon, where the Executive Director of Deaf-in-Tech and Co-Founder of Data-Lead Africa, Dr. Arowolo Ayoola, explained that the inclusion journey must begin with knowledge. Hence, they are proud to partner with a progressive university like FULAFIA.

The Professional Master’s programme will combine hybrid learning with physical sessions hosted at Deaf-in-Tech’s training facility in Abuja. This collaborative academic pathway is designed to build cross-sectoral expertise in disability-inclusive governance, education, and development.

Meanwhile, the partnership between Deaf-in-Tech and the Federal University of Lafia spans multiple layers of strategic collaboration.

The goal is to establish a Deaf-in-Tech Club on campus, serving as a first-of-its-kind initiative to empower Deaf students with cutting-edge technology skills, mentorship, and innovation capacity.

The club will operate under the Centre for Disability Studies, with technical mentors drawn from both the university and industry, creating a pipeline for inclusive tech talent.

The partnership further includes a merit-based academic excellence incentive, whereby any Deaf student graduating with a First Class in any discipline will receive a ₦1,000,000 reward.

It was also announced that Deaf-in-Tech will support the Centre for Disability Studies in developing a disability-accessible website and a digital database to enhance visibility, planning, and service delivery for students and staff with disabilities.

All digital outputs will comply with the WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards, reinforcing the university’s commitment to global best practices in inclusion.

Ahon, who delivered a goodwill message from the Vice Chancellor said, “On behalf of Prof. Shehu Abdul Rahman, Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Lafia, I wish to express our deep appreciation for this partnership. Under his leadership, the university has remained committed to placing issues of disability and inclusion at the forefront of academic innovation and institutional planning.”

The Executive Director of Deaf-in-Tech and Co-Founder of Data-Lead Africa, Dr. Arowolo Ayoola, said, “This partnership is more than just an academic exercise. It represents a structural shift in how we prepare institutions, professionals, and policymakers to engage with issues related to disability.

“The inclusion journey must begin with knowledge, and we are proud to partner with a progressive university like FULAFIA to offer this.

“We are also investing in young Deaf talents, rewarding academic excellence, and building sustainable infrastructure to support inclusive innovation.”

Vanguard News