THUR APRIL 30 2026-theGBJournal| Leading healthcare professionals, policymakers, and autism advocates have strongly commended The Alternative Bank (AltBank) for championing a proactive approach to autism care in Nigeria.
At the Bank’s Maiden Autism Stakeholders Roundtable and Policy Dialogue, held in Lagos on Friday, stakeholders lauded the institution’s decisive shift toward early intervention, systemic inclusion, and comprehensive capacity building for parents and caregivers.
Organised in partnership with the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria (PSHAN), Eliakim Foundation, and Sterling One Foundation under the theme, ‘It is How You Show Up,’ the event served as a critical platform to address the country’s fragmented autism support systems.
Dr. Ime Okon, President of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) Lagos State Branch, praised AltBank’s visionary leadership for convening what she described as an “intentionally curated, high-level platform” that catalyses long-overdue national action.
Speaking on the critical role of caregivers, Dr. Okon emphasised MWAN’s alignment with the Bank’s initiatives.
“We recognise caregivers and families as central to the success of any intervention. We are showing up, holding their hands, to ensure they are never left to navigate this journey alone,” Dr. Okon stated. “For a physician, showing up means ensuring that a parent’s first concern is met with a strengthened, inclusive system rather than a clinical dead-end with no solution.
The Alternative Bank has signaled a shift toward a high-level platform for national action.”
Validating this urgent need for systemic early response, Keynote Speaker Mrs. Dotun Akande, Founder of the Patrick Speech and Languages Centre (PSLC), advocated for the integration of universal developmental screening into primary healthcare.
She stressed that Nigeria must transition from relying on parallel private centers to building a coordinated national response.
“What Nigeria must now build is a system where intervention happens early, equitably, and at scale, without depending on chance, geography, or privilege,” Akande noted. She further outlined the necessity of a caregiver support scheme that addresses both the financial and social needs of families navigating autism.
Answering this call to action, Korede Demola-Adeniyi, Executive Director, Commercial and Institutional Banking (Lagos and Southwest) at The Alternative Bank, unveiled the Bank’s concrete commitments to parent and professional training.
Noting that showing up in Nigeria has “too often meant showing up late,” she announced a robust three-pillar intervention agenda focusing on inclusive education, targeted training for caregivers and health professionals, and behavioral change advocacy.
As an immediate first step, Demola-Adeniyi announced the launch of a specialised capacity-building program on Receptive Language Disorder, executed in collaboration with Eliakim Global Resources, which commenced on Sunday, April 26, 2026.
“Early recognition and sustained support depend on a workforce and caregivers who know what to look for, and what to do next,” she explained, emphasising that receptive language is a consequential developmental marker that is frequently missed.
The roundtable fostered dynamic discussions on practically designing and sustainably funding high-impact support programs.
Following the dialogue, AltBank and its partners will present a policy brief to relevant government ministries, recommending vocational pathways, autism care financing options, and a 12-month Lagos pilot across selected schools and primary healthcare centres.
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