The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has stated that Nigeria needs 11.6 million toilets more to meet its 2030 Open Defecation Free (ODF) target. During a press conference in Abuja held in advance of the strategic plan’s announcement and the 2024 World Toilet Day celebration, which had as its theme “Toilets: A Place for Peace”, he explained that attaining ODF status required more than just installing toilets. Utsev disclosed that the Federal Government will relaunch the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan in order to expedite the country’s progress toward the 2030 Open Defecation-Free objective.
Since the campaign’s inception in 2019, 11.58 million toilets have been constructed but there are lingering obstacles in promoting awareness and guaranteeing appropriate use. The program, which needs ₦10 billion a year, has only received ₦5 billion so far due to financial constraints. Nonetheless, partners such as UNICEF have made contributions through the provision of facilities and awareness campaigns. Over 135 local government areas (LGAs) and one state have achieved ODF status, although underserved areas continue to be a major obstacle. The minister revealed that Vice President Kashim Shettima will lead the Clean Nigeria Campaign’s relaunch on November 19, 2024, which will coincide with World Toilet Day commemoration.
Attaining set objectives is crucial to the country.
Initially, it was stated that Nigeria needs to build about 3.3 million toilets per year and achieve 224 ODF LGAs each year to meet the 2025 targets or 1.3 million toilets and 84 LGAs a year to end open defecation by 2030. The campaign’s objective of eliminating open defecation in Nigeria is consistent with the larger Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.2, which states that everyone must have access to sufficient and fair Sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Despite the campaign’s emphasis on community-led initiatives, building toilets and other Sanitation Facilities has been hampered, particularly in isolated areas, by a lack of funding and technical know-how.
For Nigeria, attaining these goals is crucial to meet its international obligations as well as to address the serious threats that open defecation poses to gender equality, public health, education, and economic growth. If the campaign’s goals are not met by 2025, millions of Nigerians would remain exposed to avoidable health crises brought on by inadequate sanitation, such as Cholera epidemics, diarrheal illnesses, and stunted infant growth. Efforts to increase educational access would also be hampered as students, particularly females, would remain susceptible to absenteeism from illness or a lack of standard sanitation facilities in schools.
Relaunch of the campaign to improve evaluation systems.
In order to address the problem comprehensively, the campaign relaunch places a strong emphasis on multi-sectoral collaboration, including initiatives from the water resources, education, and health sectors. It also seeks to prioritize Infrastructure development and behavioral change programs through the integration of insights gained from the campaign’s past failures, the relaunch. It is anticipated that a greater emphasis on Private Sector involvement will increase Finance and innovation, propelling the creation of affordable sanitation facilities. The relaunch also aims to improve monitoring and evaluation systems in order to track and maintain progress toward a Nigeria free of open defecation.
With about a year left until the 2025 deadline, the need for exigent intervention cannot be overemphasized. A more aggressive and focused strategy is required from the government and stakeholders in order to expedite progress. Increasing investments in sanitation infrastructure is crucial to reach underprivileged and rural regions, where open defecation is still most common. Priority must be given to the Construction and maintenance of toilets and other hygienic facilities in residences, educational institutions, and public areas, with an emphasis on Sustainability and community ownership. Additionally, mass Education programs must be intensified in order to change cultural norms and behaviors related to open defecation,
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Beyond 2025, Nigeria needs to keep up its momentum in order to guarantee alignment with the more comprehensive 2030 SDG targets. Achieving an open defecation-free status for Nigeria is not just about completing a deadline, it’s about changing lives and ensuring a healthier, more just future. The next 14 months offer a critical window of opportunity to expedite actions and galvanize all societal segments to tackle this issue. Considering the magnitude of the challenge, achieving the targeted objectives will be considerably more difficult if the sanitation crisis is not addressed right urgently.