Lara Adejoro and Gabriel Oshokha
The Federal Government has vowed to end open defecation by 2030, saying over 45 million Nigerians still engage in the practice, as only about 25 per cent of the population has access to safely managed sanitation facilities.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, disclosed this at a press briefing to commemorate the 2025 World Toilet Day, with the theme“Sanitation in a Changing World,” with the tagline “We’ll Always Need the Toilet.”
Lawal, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, Mahmud Kambari, noted that this year’s theme reflected the growing impacts of climate change, rapid urbanisation, and widening inequalities that weaken sanitation systems.
The United Nations General Assembly, in recognition of the global sanitation challenge, declared 19th November every year as World Toilet Day.
The declaration is to raise awareness and inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis, which still affects billions of people worldwide.
The day also supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal Six – clean water and sanitation for all.
The minister said, “The advent and access to toilets remain a foundation to public health and play an important role in protecting both people and the environment.
“They hygienically remove human waste, reduce exposure to diseases, and uphold dignity.
“Unfortunately, in many parts of the world, toilets and the systems that support them remain underfunded, poorly managed, or neglected.
“Currently, about 4.2 billion people globally live without access to safe toilets, while in Nigeria, over 45 million people still practice open defecation, and only about 25 per cent of the population have access to safely managed sanitation facilities.”
He lamented that many schools, healthcare facilities, and public institutions either lacked functional toilets or had facilities that were poorly managed.
“In urban areas, the absence of adequate sewerage systems has led to unsafe disposal of wastewater and sewage into rivers and streams, thereby contaminating our environment with resultant impact,” he added.
The minister said the situation contributed significantly to diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea, typhoid, and intestinal worm infections, which continued to claim lives, especially among children under five years of age.
He, however, noted that the Federal Government was committed to tackling sanitation challenges and achieving an Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2030.
This commitment, he said, was demonstrated through the Presidential Declaration of a State of Emergency on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene, and the signing of Executive Order No. 009 (2019) titled: ‘The Open Defecation Free Nigeria by 2025, which is under review and Other Related Matters’
He added that the ministry and other stakeholders had reviewed and updated the 2005 National Environmental Sanitation Policy, including guidelines for safe excreta and sewage disposal.
The Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Dr Bahijjahtu Abubakar, noted that billions still lacked access to safe toilets and millions continued to practice open defecation.
She warned that this posed serious health and environmental risks, especially to women, children, and other vulnerable groups.
“Today’s commemoration provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the progress made so far in improving sanitation services across Nigeria, while also renewing our collective commitment to ending open defecation by the year 2030,” she emphasised.
The Secretary General of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Abubakar Kende, highlighted sanitation as a vital human right and stressed the urgent need to address challenges such as climate stress, poor funding, overcrowded urban areas, and cultural barriers.
In a related development, the Oyo State government, through the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, Lagos Field Office, and SATO, a brand under LIXIL, has called on stakeholders to prioritise safe sanitation as a critical tool for disease prevention and environmental protection.
The Chairman of OYORUWASSA, Alhaji Babalola Afobaje, stated this on Wednesday, during the 2025 World Toilet Day celebration held at the Local Government Staff Training School Conference Hall, Secretariat, Ibadan.
Afobaje underscored the enduring importance of safe, functional, and dignified sanitation systems in all communities.
According to him, “toilets are not just facilities but life-saving infrastructure essential for public health, environmental protection, climate resilience, and human dignity.”
He commended existing partnerships, particularly with UNICEF, for progress in driving the Open Defecation Free campaign across Oyo State.
He, however, stressed the need for intensified efforts to deliver climate-resilient sanitation systems, aimed at achieving a total end to open defecation by 2028.
The General Manager of OYORUWASSA, Mr Adeniyi Adeduntan, affirmed that access to safe toilets remains a constant necessity, regardless of technological or societal changes.
He noted that women and girls were disproportionately affected through heightened risks of abuse, poor health outcomes, and school absenteeism due to the absence of safe and hygienic toilets.
In a keynote presentation, the co-founder of Recycledge and Partnership Lead of the Young Water Professionals (International Water Association), Mr Victor Oyejide, called for continuous education and awareness on dignified sanitation.
He outlined challenges faced by vulnerable groups, especially women, girls, and young people who lack access to clean and comfortable toilet facilities.
Oyejide noted that many schoolgirls missed classes during their menstrual periods due to inadequate WASH facilities, urging greater government and private sector investment in innovative sanitation solutions, including mobile and static toilet systems.
