UNICEF reports that no fewer than 48 million people, including 18 million children, in Nigeria still practice open defecation.
According to UNICEF, 3.5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe toilets.
In Nigeria, 95 million people do not have access to basic sanitation services, according to the agency. This information was shared with select journalists from the South East as part of the activities marking this year’s World Toilet Day. UNICEF also revealed that 70 percent of schools in Nigeria, representing about 91,000 schools, lack access to basic sanitation services.
Dr. Olusoji Akinleye, a Health Specialist representing the Chief of the Field Office, UNICEF Enugu, highlighted that open defecation increases the risk of waterborne diseases through the contamination of water sources.
Additionally, UNICEF reported that 88 percent of health facilities in Nigeria, approximately 27,600, lack basic sanitation services. Furthermore, 80 percent of markets and motor parks are without basic sanitation.
UNICEF has called for increased awareness among the populace to use toilets for human waste disposal and to eradicate open defecation. They identified insufficient high-level leadership, governance, and accountability as obstacles to achieving an open defecation-free (ODF) Nigeria. Only 17 percent (134 out of 774) of Local Government Areas (LGAs) have achieved ODF status, with 98 percent of successes in UNICEF-supported states.
The organization regretted that federal commitment has declined since 2023, stalling ODF initiatives. Communities facing water scarcity were advised to adopt the Sato Pan toilet system, which uses less water.
UNICEF reported that sanitation expenditure dropped to just four percent of the total WASH budget compared to 31 percent for water from 2018 to 2022. However, Jigawa State increased its expenditure to 20 percent during this period to escalate efforts for state-wide ODF.
UNICEF emphasized that the annual funding needed for ODF is approximately N168.75 billion, but only N15 billion was invested from 2018 to 2022. The low involvement of traditional and religious leaders was cited as a barrier to community adoption of sanitation and hygiene practices.
The organization stressed that more investment and better sanitation governance are critical for a fairer, more peaceful world.
