As the prevalence of autism continues to rise in Africa’s most populous country, the importance of robust support networks is becoming increasingly clear, with community-based initiatives showing promising results.

Experts who spoke at the just concluded Guarantee Trust Holding Company (GTCO)’s 15th annual autism conference, tagged ‘From Awareness to Action: 15 years of advancing autism inclusion,’ shared how community ties and asset framing can bosst autism care and outcomes in the country.

Solape Azazi, founder of Cradle Lounge Special Needs Initiative and a passionate autism advocate, whose journey of managing an autistic child began with uncertainty.

“When my son was diagnosed at three, I had no idea what autism was, how to support him, or even who to talk to,” she recalled.

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“There was no roadmap to follow, and it was very challenging at first,” Azazi noted. Her breakthrough came when she found others walking the same path at one of the GTCO autism annual conferences.

“Meeting a community of autism advocates like Chizoba Peters, Akande, and Bernadette Kilo was a game‑changer for me,” Azazi recalled.

“With their support, I learned how to help my child, and that experience marked the beginning of my advocacy journey, she explained.

Autism — or autism spectrum disorder — is “a diverse group of conditions related to brain development,” according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

It is marked by varying degrees of difficulty with social interaction and communication, alongside “atypical patterns of activities and behaviours, such as difficulty transitioning between tasks, a focus on details, and unusual reactions to sensations.”

Georgiana Koyama, a board‑certified behavior analyst, stressed the power of “asset framing” over “deficit framing” when defining the identity of a child with autism.

“Rather than highlight their weaknesses when talking about them, we should amplify their strengths,” Koyama said.

“That shift creates room for inclusivity and gives them a real platform to be successfully integrated into our society,” she added.

Asset framing, she explained, means telling a balanced story — one that recognizes uniqueness instead of magnifying limitations and seeks to communicate with autistic individuals in ways they understand.

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15,000 autism caregivers trained

The Guarantee Trust Holding Company (GTCO) revealed that it has trained about 15,000 autism caregivers over the past 15 years, a milestone it celebrated at its 15th anniversary on autism advocacy.

“This 15th‑year milestone is a reaffirmation of our commitment,” said Segun Agbaje, GTCO’s chief executive officer. “It is a reminder that inclusion and acceptance are not optional — they are a shared responsibility.”

The anniversary gathering drew experts, parents, and autism advocates from across the world, united by a common mission: to expand community outreach, mentor caregivers, and build networks where parents can easily access the services their children and adults with autism need to thrive.