A visually impaired student in Ibadan uses a screen reader to access a government scholarship portal but the form fields aren’t labeled. A deaf developer in Nairobi tries to follow a product launch video without captions. An older merchant in Kumasi struggles with a fintech app built in dense English and no option for larger text. 

These are not technical failures. They’re design exclusions. And they happen every day. Designing for accessibility is not a checklist. It’s a mindset. A refusal to leave people behind.

According to the World Health Organization, over 1.3 billion people, nearly 16% of the global population live with some form of disability. Yet, a 2022 WebAIM study of the top 1 million websites found that 96.8% had detectable accessibility issues on their homepages.

Source: World health Organization

That includes unlabeled buttons, poor color contrast, inaccessible keyboard navigation, and missing alt text.

In Africa, the gap is wider. While digital tools have helped increase access to finance, education, and health, most are not designed with disabled users in mind. That means millions are locked out of the very platforms promising inclusion.

What Accessible Design Really Means

Source: Interaction Design Foundation

It means creating products that work for all abilities, across all contexts. Not just:

• Color contrast ratios or screen reader compatibility.
• But also: readable language, responsive design, simplified navigation, and error forgiveness.

It’s designing for:

• Low vision users who rely on zoom and high contrast.
• People with cognitive challenges who benefit from consistent layouts.
• Users with mobility issues who navigate using voice or limited gestures.

Accessibility overlaps with inclusive design, responsive design, and even good UX. But it starts with intent.

Case Study: Google Go

Google Go, a lightweight search app designed for emerging markets, integrates accessibility by default:

• A prominent text-to-speech feature reads results aloud in local accents.
• The interface supports low-literacy users with tappable visuals.
• It consumes 40% less data than traditional search apps, crucial for budget-conscious users.

The app was widely adopted in Nigeria, India, and Indonesia showing that accessible design often translates to better design.

Metrics That Actually Measure Inclusion
It’s not enough to know your app loads fast. Ask:

• Can users navigate without a mouse?
• Can a screen reader describe the main function of every screen?
• How many tasks can be completed without reading a word?
• Can error messages be understood by someone with low literacy?

At a major African telco, switching their USSD flows from numeric-only menus to short, descriptive text increased successful transactions among visually impaired users by 23%.

Local Language, Real Literacy
In countries with high linguistic diversity, accessibility also means language access. If your fintech app is in English only, you’re not just excluding non-English speakers, you’re excluding trust, usability, and uptake.

In 2023, a civic tech platform in Kenya added Swahili voice prompts and simplified forms to its election monitoring app. The result is a 41% increase in rural submissions, including from users aged 55+ who had never used digital tools before.

Tools and Tactics

• Use WAVE or axe DevTools to audit accessibility.
• Follow WCAG 2.1 standards — but also test with real users.
• Run usability tests with assistive tech like screen readers and voice commands.
• Include disabled users in co-design, not just usability testing.

Accessibility isn’t a favor. It’s right. And design is the front line of that right.

When we build with accessibility at the core, we don’t just accommodate, we innovate.
Because a product that works for more people, in more places, under more conditions is a better product.