Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) has reiterated its commitment to advocating and supporting people living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Nigeria and Africa through continuous awareness programmes and sustained actions.
The company made this known on Wednesday in Lagos during the 2025 Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) annual Autism Programme themed ‘From awareness to action: 15 years of advancing inclusion’.
The programme kicked off with a conference in Lagos, where counsellors, psychologists, and medical experts discussed ways to improve the lives of people on the autism spectrum. A day after the conference, a one-on-one family consultation on autism was held in Lagos from 17th – 19th July. Finally, from 21st – 24th July, a workshop and one-on-one family consultation were held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Ghana.
The company noted that the Autism Programme is one of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes under its Orange Ribbon Initiative aimed at increasing social awareness of ASD, providing free professional consultations for people with autism, and offering funding for applied autism research, among others.
GTCO stressed that, through the Orange Ribbon Initiative, they speak for those whose voices are unheard and foster a world where everyone shines. The company revealed that since the inception of the autism programme in 2009, it has offered consultation to over 5,000 children living with autism and training to over 15,000 people on how to better manage autism.
The Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Segun Agbaje, stated that the essence of the autism programme is to shape how they advocate, listen, and respond to autism issues in a way that champions acceptance, encourages early intervention, and ensures a future where every child is given the opportunity to thrive.
The Chief Communication Officer of GTCO, Oyinade Adegite stated in a press conference before the conference that this year’s autism programme will advance inclusion for children and adults living with ASD. He added that before now, the spectrum used to be a stigma, and parents hid their wards who have the spectrum, but now the words are out.
“However, action is needed by policymakers, and at GTCO, we are at the forefront of tackling the issues around autism spectrum disorder in Africa beyond Nigeria. We have been doing this for 15 years, and we are pushing harder without relenting. We have had over 5000 families attending the clinic,” Adegite said.
In the course of the event, experts from Nigeria, Africa, and across the world ─ comprising professors, scholars, counsellors, psychologists, civil society practitioners, parents, and caregivers ─ spoke and presented papers covering a wide range of issues on the theme. Some issues covered included diagnosis and support for people with autism, using stories to strengthen support of autism, early intervention and behavioural solutions, harnessing solutions through artificial intelligence (AI) for educating children with autism, among others. They offered advice and solutions on the best ways to educate, control, and take care of children with autism.
Through the panel sections, the panellists urged Nigerians, the government, GTCO, and corporate organisations to increase their support for people with autism through community engagement, financial support, and empowerment programmes that will enable them to blend well with society and take proper charge of their lives.
They urged GTCO to create a special fund and empowerment programme where young people and adults with autism can be trained and supported with funds to start their careers and businesses.
The organisers of the autism programme assured the experts of their commitment to ensuring that children with autism and their families lead meaningful lives, adding, “Together, we can build a world where people living with autism
