UNICEF: Nigeria Needs 20m Toilets to End Open Defecation by 2030

James Sowole and Funmi Ogundare

UNICEF, yesterday, disclosed that Nigeria requires approximately 20 million toilets to eliminate open defecation in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Jane Bevan, Chief of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), made this known at a two-day media dialogue in Lagos focused on ending open defecation in Nigeria and eradicating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).

The media dialogue, organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), gathered stakeholders from Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, and Osun states, alongside representatives from the Federal Ministry of Health and the private sector.

Bevan emphasized the need for better hygiene practices and strong political commitment from the government to end open defecation. She highlighted the severe health risks associated with the practice and called for urgent action, stating, “We need political will to tackle open defecation. We need to make it real and make washing our hands a priority. This is what the media must help promote so that we can put an end to open defecation.”

Chizoma Opara, Deputy Director of the ‘Clean Nigeria Campaign’ at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, explained that around 48 million Nigerians still practice open defecation, according to the 2021 WASHNORM report.

She linked the practice to the spread of sanitation-related diseases, including several NTDs like onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, trachoma, lymphatic filariasis, and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), which are transmitted through contaminated soil and feces, perpetuating poverty, malnutrition, and ill health.

Opara stressed that tackling open defecation would significantly reduce the transmission of these diseases.

 “Improved sanitation and hygiene practices can break the cycle of infection, protecting vulnerable populations, especially children and women. This dialogue aims to raise awareness about the importance of ending open defecation and its impact on NTD elimination.

“We will explore strategies for collaboration, share success stories, and discuss the challenges of achieving a Nigeria free from open defecation and NTDs,” she stated.

Citing the 2021 report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Opara pointed out that only 126 of the 774 local governments in Nigeria have been declared open defecation-free.

Jigawa is the only state to have achieved this status, while Katsina State has 27 of its 34 local governments free from open defecation.

She called for a shift in behavior to end the practice, which has contributed to the spread of diseases across the country.

Alhaji Babalola Afobaje, Chairman of Oyo State’s Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), praised UNICEF and Governor Seyi Makinde for their efforts in supporting the fight against open defecation, especially among rural communities.

He assured that the agency would make the most of the opportunities provided under the WASH project to address the issue.