Universal Design Compliance in Selected Cultural Centres in South-west and South-South Nigeria

Abstract

Cultural centres are critical public institutions for inclusive civic participation, yet their compliance with Universal Design (UD) principles in Nigeria remains critically underexplored. This study evaluates the level of UD compliance in three state-owned cultural centres in Nigeria's South-West and South-South geopolitical zones: the John Randle Centre for Yoruba History and Culture (Lagos), the Ibadan Cultural Centre (Oyo), and the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre (Edo) with reference to the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act of 2018. A qualitative case study design was adopted, with primary data collected through structured on-site observation between December 2024 and February 2025. A nine-component evaluation framework, derived from the 2018 Act and aligned with established UD literature, was applied consistently across all three centres, with each component scored on a three-tier implementation scale. A UD Compliance Index (UDCI) was calculated per centre to enable direct quantitative comparison. Findings reveal a clear compliance hierarchy: the John Randle Centre achieved a UDCI of 83.3%, reflecting the impact of recent accessibility-guided renovation, while the Ibadan Cultural Centre and Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre scored 50.0% and 38.9% respectively, indicating moderate to high non-compliance. Car parking, wayfinding and signage, and tactile surfaces were the most consistently neglected components across all three centres, while external areas and stair design were uniformly adequate. The findings confirm a systemic gap between the 2018 Act's accessibility mandate and built reality in Nigerian cultural infrastructure, driven by weak enforcement mechanisms, inadequate professional training, and the absence of specific technical guidance in the National Building Code. The study contributes a replicable UDCI evaluation framework for Nigerian public buildings and offers targeted recommendations for policymakers, facility managers, and the architecture profession.