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Water and sanitation in Nigeria’s rural areas

Water and sanitation in Nigeria’s rural areas
Photo by Liz Martin- Ask Nigeria

The challenges and opportunities of WASH services in Nigeria.

Lack of access to improved water supply and proper sanitation continues to hugely contribute to the morbidity rate especially in the rural communities in Nigeria. These areas are so exposed to contaminated water and a generally polluted environment that increasingly makes them vulnerable and at a high risk of contacting different diseases. In fact, statistics illustrate that at least 39 percent of the total Nigerian population lack access to an improved water supply. As of 2019, World Bank asserted that approximately 60 million of Nigerians had been living without access to basic drinking water and 80 million without access to improved sanitation.

While performing some project monitoring exercise within some communities in the Federal Capital Territory, one evident issue that was detected was that of lack of access to water and sanitation and this problem being prevalent in the country’s capital, there are many reasons that other rural communities around the country would be worse. Statistics also show that this prevalence have led to an increase in the mortality rate among children under five years old, increasing their vulnerability ratio and leading to the diseases like diarrhea and death of approximately 70,000 (under the age of five) children annually.

Numerous factors militate against access to WASH services in rural areas.

At least 70 percent of the recorded diarrhea disease burdens in these rural communities have been connected to the inaccessibility to adequate supply of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). These WASH related illness have also had adverse effects on children like absenteeism in schools and malnutrition. UNICEF recorded that only 26.5 percent of Nigeria’s population have access to improved water sources and enhanced sanitation facilities. A recent survey also indicated that 23.5 percent of the country’s populace lack access to the use of proper toilets, thus defecating in open spaces.

The Federal Government, in collaboration with organizations like UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank, WHO and a host of other non-government organizations have and continue to make efforts towards ensuring that every community boasts of an enhanced access to improved water supply and sanitary services. However, there are a plethora of factors that have militated against the rural communities in this situation, such as infrastructural underdevelopment. The poor infrastructural development in these communities have continuously caused the inaccessibility to improved water supply and enhanced sanitation. The low budget allocation to operations of these government-owned water and sanitation service providers have inevitably led to erratic operations.

Corruption in WASH services sector have mitigated its operational services.

While the government plays an immense role in the improvement of these services, corruption in the water and sanitation services sector have immensely caused a mitigation of these operational services in rural and even urban communities. Corruption within these sectors evidently project itself in the mismanagement of allocated funds for facility maintenance, general operations and staff remuneration. The role of proper information in salvaging the problem of water and sanitation however cannot be downplayed. Numerous rural and even urban residents are less informed about the consequences of inadequate sanitation and unclean water usage. Mass sensitization on proper sanitation will go a long way.

Though the government has a huge responsibility in ensuring adequate WASH services across the country, citizens have also contributed to the deteriorating situation. Numerous facility constructors make zero efforts towards curbing this problem. Many public health centers in the country have no access to proper water supply but rather depend on rain or water peddlers. These centers also lack proper waste disposal tools and rather expose refuse openly. This problem is evident in both urban and rural communities.

People oriented water and sanitation policies must be enhanced.

However, envisaging some recommendations is crucial. One is the gathering of specific population data and analysis to help with the proper allocation of budget for access to improved water supply and proper sanitation services across the country. The government policy must be comprehensive and encompassing to both the rural and urban communities. Government must also make available, sufficient funds to facilitate the availability of these services, as well as enhancing people oriented water and sanitation policies. Facility inspectors must also effectively inspect buildings to ensure the availability of adequate water and sanitation infrastructures.


Related Links:

World Bank: Website

UNICEF: Website

USAID: Website

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Abusi
Abusi
8 months ago

It will really be good if we have enough WASH services in rural areas. It will help breed a safe and healthy environment. We should ensure we use clean waters always. Drilling of enough bore holes should also be made available in almost all the streets for people to easily wash themselves.

jdpumping
jdpumping
8 months ago

If more can be done to spread WASH accross the better because the rural setting are really suffering due to in accessibility of water and good sanitation program in all community.

Haykaylyon26
Haykaylyon26
8 months ago

In other to have healthy environment availability of wash service should be provide especially in rural area so they can be able to wash with clean water and sanitation can be done

Godsewill Ifeanyi
Godsewill Ifeanyi
8 months ago

It is especially true in Nigeria’s rural communities that a lack of access to adequate water supply and proper sanitation continues to be a major contributor to the country’s high morbidity rate.

Taiwoo
Taiwoo
8 months ago

These northern regions are more susceptible to and at a high risk of contracting a variety of ailments as a direct result of their prolonged exposure to dirty water and an environment that is polluted in general.

Kazeem1
Kazeem1
8 months ago

According to the facts, this incidence is also responsible for a rise in the death rate among children who are younger than five years old.

theApr
theApr
8 months ago

Due to their continuous exposure to contaminated water and a generally filthy environment, these northern regions are more vulnerable to and at a higher risk of developing a number of diseases.

Adeolastan
Adeolastan
8 months ago

Lack of basic pipe burn water is one of the major problem that face Nigeria citizens,from the rural area to urban center and the government is not doing much to curb or arradicate the problem.

Tonerol10
Tonerol10
8 months ago

Please government should look into some rural areas and make water available for them. Wash service should be provide especially in rural area

Iyanu12345ogg
Iyanu12345ogg
8 months ago

Wash service should be provide in both rural areas…it is okay if people leaving there use clean waters always. It will prevent them of diseases…

Christiana
Christiana
8 months ago

The rate of water pollution in the rural area is extremely high, the WASH service needs to be implemented so as to promote healthy living

Christiana
Christiana
8 months ago

.

Last edited 8 months ago by Christiana
Bola12
Bola12
8 months ago

This bad sanitation is the major reason why those leaving the rural areas have bad health conditions and they tend to develop different kind of diseases

Tolaniiii
Tolaniiii
8 months ago

The government should make sufficient finances available to support the provision of these services and strengthen people-centered water and sanitation programs.

SarahDiv
SarahDiv
8 months ago

Corrupt practices in Nigeria will not allow project to be effective. Federal Government who are expected to ensure that pipe born water is available in an hygiene environment to Nigeria are already pushing and passing in law water use act. whereby we have to pay to drill boreholes in our house. Now the statistics shows that 60 million Nigerians lack access to drinkable water and 80 million to improved water. This administration is the worst of all administrations so far.

DimOla
DimOla
8 months ago

Several factors will militate against WASH service in rural areas because of the high level of corruption. Our government officials are so corrupt that they will not allow this kinds of project to succeed. God will this country.

Chibuzor
Chibuzor
8 months ago

According to the statistics, this prevalence is also responsible for an increase in the mortality rate among children under the age of five, which in turn increases their vulnerability ratio and makes them more likely to contract diseases such as diarrhoea.

Adesanyaj72
Adesanyaj72
8 months ago

Inaccessibility to improved water supply and enhanced sanitation has been a continuing problem in these communities as a direct result of the poor infrastructure development that has taken place.

Remi1
Remi1
8 months ago

In the event that there is an adequate supply of WASH services in rural regions, this will be a really positive development. It will contribute to the development of an environment that is secure and healthy.

Nwachukwu Kingsley
Nwachukwu Kingsley
8 months ago

These illnesses linked to WASH have also had negative repercussions on children, including absence in schools and malnutrition as two examples.

Hassan Isa
Hassan Isa
8 months ago

The inconsistency in service delivery that has resulted from the minimal budget allocated to the operations of these government-owned water and sanitation service providers is unavoidable.