Exploring the lived experiences of (un)employment among visually impaired persons in Nigeria: Implications for policy and practice

Abstract

Blind people have been consistently underemployed in Nigeria. There have been recent policy initiatives, and programmes especially by the federal government and the Lagos state government, aimed at improving the unemployment situation of people with disabilities, but not much success has been recorded. This study explored the views of blind individuals about their (un)employment experiences to understand their challenges and proffer solutions. The study employed a qualitative approach, conducting one-to-one unstructured qualitative interviews with 22 blind and visually impaired adults aged between 18 and 55 years. Verbatim transcripts of the interviews were analysed using the thematic analysis approach. Four major themes emerged: describing participants’ views on discrimination and lack of inclusive processes in recruitment; perceived gaps with policy enforcement; inadequate support systems for vocational skills training and entrepreneurship; as well as general views on life, society, and hopes for future employment opportunities. The most common barrier to employment mentioned by participants was the misconception by employers that being blind meant being unable to work. There was a general lack of confidence and trust in recent policies seeking to address structural barriers to visually impaired people’s employment goals. Real solutions and specific policy changes were desired.