As Nigeria strives on to end open defecation, experts are urging state and local governments to provide more free public toilets in a bid to achieve the country’s new 2030 target. The issue of Open Defecation continues to be a major Public Health and environmental concern in Nigeria, where around 48 million people still defecate in the open and even fewer have access to safely managed Sanitation services. According to recent estimates, Nigeria is among the top countries in the world and the most openly defecating country in Africa. This situation poses severe health risks, environmental hazards, and socio-economic burdens, making it a pressing issue that demands immediate and sustained intervention.
While significant investments have been made in implementation, it is vital to note that obtaining open-defecation-free status needs active engagement of state and local governments. Early recognition of this fact prompted states like Lagos to domesticate the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign” in Apapa Local Government in June 2023 by launching a localized campaign in the LGA and aligning with the national goal of eliminating open defecation by 2025. It is essential that other states embrace and carry out such initiative in order to meet the campaign’s objective.
Nigeria adjusts open defecation eradication target to 2030.
According to experts’ emphasis, simply constructing toilets is not enough; affordability and accessibility must also be addressed. Free public toilets would help reduce open defecation, particularly in urban areas, markets, and motor parks where large numbers of people rely on public sanitation facilities. Additionally, these facilities must be properly managed and maintained to ensure cleanliness, availability of water, and waste disposal. Nigeria’s fight against open defecation remains a pressing issue, with ambitious targets initially set for its eradication by 2025.
However, as time progresses, it is becoming increasingly clear that the government is shifting focus toward a more extended deadline of 2030. This adjustment reflects the slow pace of progress and the reality that achieving the initial goal would require an unprecedented acceleration in sanitation efforts. However, the country has consistently fallen short of these benchmarks. Faced with this challenge, policymakers and stakeholders appear to be aligning with a more feasible 2030 target, which would require constructing about 11.6 million toilets to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, as revealed by the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev.
Government launches revised strategy to tackle sanitation crisis.
Revision of this ambitious goal presents a more attainable pathway compared to the initial projections. The widespread practice of open defecation in Nigeria is largely driven by inadequate sanitation infrastructure, rapid population growth, and Urbanization that outpaces proper Waste Management systems. Millions of Nigerians, particularly in rural areas, lack access to basic toilet facilities, forcing them to resort to open spaces, bushes, and water bodies to relieve themselves. While public toilets exist in some areas, their accessibility remains a problem due to user fees that many people cannot afford.
This economic barrier has led to renewed calls for state and local governments to provide free, clean, and well-maintained public toilets to ensure that everyone has access to proper sanitation. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, had implemented several initiatives to bridge gaps in basic sanitation services and actualize Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) for water and sanitation in Nigeria. To address this crisis, Nigeria’s Vice President has officially launched the revised Clean Nigeria Campaign (CNC) Strategic Plan, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to eradicate open defecation by 2030 in commemoration of World Toilet Day 2024
Related Article: 11.6m toilets needed to end open defecation
The launch of the revised CNC Strategic Plan marks a pivotal step forward in addressing Nigeria’s sanitation challenges. The CNC Strategic Plan will mobilize efforts to declare all 774 local government areas (LGAs) open defecation-free (ODF) by 2030. However, challenges such as poor implementation, insufficient funding, and lack of enforcement mechanisms continue to hinder significant progress. Nigeria’s global ranking in open defecation is a stark reminder of the urgent need for action. While progress has been made, much more is required to achieve the goal of an open defecation-free nation.