Dr. Basirat Razaq-Shuaib is championing inclusion for children with developmental disabilities (special needs) and their caregivers by providing specialised education, emotional support, and advocacy through her nonprofit work, national policy influence, and inclusive storytelling.
From finance to special needs education
Razaq-Shuaib is one of Nigeria’s leading voices on inclusive education and disability advocacy. She began her career in finance, earning an MSc in Finance and Investment from the University of Exeter. She was also the first Nigerian recipient of the Mansion House Scholarship, a prestigious UK-based finance award.
Everything changed when she became a mother to a child with a developmental disability. Faced with a lack of support, limited access to inclusive schools, and little understanding of special needs in Nigeria, she pivoted completely, leaving finance to enter education. She earned a PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge and focused her research on parental well-being and inclusive practices for children with special needs.
Founding The Winford Centre
In 2017, she founded The Winford Centre for Children and Women, a nonprofit that supports children with developmental disabilities and their caregivers. Based in Nigeria, the Centre provides early childhood education specifically designed for children with autism, ADHD, and other developmental conditions. It also trains teachers on inclusive practices that make mainstream classrooms more accessible.
Beyond academics, the Centre creates assistive learning tools like visual aids and communication supports to help them thrive. Just as importantly, it offers emotional support for parents and caregivers, helping them cope with the complex journey of raising a neurodivergent child.
According to recent reports, these efforts have provided educational resources and support to over 300 autistic children and their families, contributing to improved learning experiences and greater inclusion in Nigerian schools.
Supporting mothers through the Blooming Mum Program
In 2021, Razaq-Shuaib launched The Blooming Mum Programme, believing that helping a child with special needs must include supporting the mother who holds that child’s world together. This is an initiative focused entirely on the emotional and mental well-being of mothers raising children with developmental disabilities. Through this program, mothers receive counselling and peer support to help them process their daily challenges. They are also offered skills training to reduce financial dependence and group therapy sessions that provide a safe space to talk about grief, burnout, and the emotional weight of caregiving.
Leading the national conversation
Razaq-Shuaib’s work doesn’t stop at the community level. She is also driving national and international conversations around disability inclusion. As the convener of SENICON, Nigeria’s foremost Special Education Needs and Inclusion conference, she brings educators, policymakers, and advocates together to collaborate on solutions.
She advises government stakeholders on education policy and leads training programs for educators and caregivers across Africa. Her advocacy and research have taken her to global stages, including UNESCO panels and UK government events, where she shares strategies for transforming inclusive education.
Authoring inclusive children’s books
In addition to her nonprofit and policy work, Basirat Razaq-Shuaib is an award-winning children’s author. Her books promote empathy, kindness, and most importantly, representation for African children with disabilities. In 2020, her debut children’s book – “I am not naughty- I really really mean it”, earned a Special Commendation from the British Council ELTons Awards for Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion. It has since been translated into several languages.
