The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Medical Sciences (UNIMED), Ondo, Professor Ebunoluwa Adejuyigbe, has been inaugurated as Chairman of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Committee on the Development of International Standard Autism Centres in Nigeria.
Professor Adejuyigbe was inaugurated on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at the Board Room of the TETFund Office in Abuja, following her appointment by the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny S. T. Echono, FNIA, as communicated in a letter dated October 14, 2026.
The committee was constituted as part of TETFund’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s capacity for the assessment, treatment, education and long-term support of children and other persons living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental conditions.
According to the statement signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Isaac Oluyi, the initiative, under TETFund’s 2027 Special Intervention for the Development of International Standard Autism Centres, seeks to establish centres in selected medical schools across the country.
Speaking shortly after her inauguration, Professor Adejuyigbe expressed gratitude to TETFund for the confidence reposed in her, describing the appointment as a call to national service and an opportunity to contribute to improving the lives of persons living with autism and their families.
She emphasised that autism should not be regarded as a limitation on a person’s potential but as a call for greater understanding, appropriate support and inclusive opportunities.
According to her, many Nigerian families continue to face significant challenges in accessing timely diagnosis, professional assessment, appropriate treatment, specialised education and sustained support for children living with autism.
She noted that the proposed centres would provide an important opportunity to address these gaps by strengthening the country’s capacity to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based and accessible services to individuals on the autism spectrum.
The UNIMED Vice-Chancellor, however, stressed that developing international-standard autism centres must go beyond the provision of physical infrastructure to encompass clinical assessment, early identification, therapeutic interventions, specialised education, research, professional training, family support and public enlightenment.
She called for a multidisciplinary approach involving medical practitioners, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, psychologists, educators, researchers, policymakers, parents and other relevant stakeholders.
Professor Adejuyigbe also highlighted the importance of collaboration among government institutions, universities, professional associations, development partners, civil society organisations and families affected by autism to ensure that the proposed centres are adequately equipped, professionally staffed, accessible and sustainable.
She pledged to provide purposeful leadership and work closely with members of the committee to develop practical recommendations that reflect international best practices while addressing Nigeria’s healthcare, educational and socioeconomic realities.
The Vice-Chancellor further identified early intervention, affordable access to services, professional capacity development, public awareness and the reduction of stigma and discrimination as critical priorities for the initiative.
She said the success of the programme should be measured not merely by the number of centres established but by the lives transformed, families supported and opportunities created for persons living with autism.
Other members of the committee include Dr Isa Nurudeen, Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Kano; Dr Victoria Amu, Chairman of the National Committee for the Advancement of Occupational Therapy, Audiology and Speech-Language Therapy Education (NCAOTASE); and Professor Victor Ogie Igbineweka, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of Benin.
Also on the committee are Professor Rufai Yusuf Ahmed, President/Registrar of the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria (MRTB); Mrs Dotun Akande, Founder of the Patrick Speech and Language Centre; Mrs Ronke Katagum, President of the Autism Association; and Mr Olusegun Ayeni, President of the Occupational Therapy Association of Nigeria.
The committee is expected to advise TETFund on the modalities for implementing the intervention and developing the proposed autism centres.
Professor Adejuyigbe expressed confidence that the collective expertise and experience of the committee members would contribute significantly to the successful implementation of the initiative and the advancement of autism care and support in Nigeria.
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