By Sani Bala Karo
The Federal and State Governments, in collaboration with development partners, have reaffirmed their commitment to expedite action towards ending open defecation.
The fresh commitment should accelerate Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services in the country even as 142 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of a total 774 LGAs nationwide have been declared open defecation-free in the country,as of January, 2025.
Speaking at the 3rd National Retreat on ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign’ to accelerate and track progress to end open defecation and the unveiling of the National WASH IEC Materials, in Abuja, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev emphasized the critical importance of the Clean Nigeria Campaign (CNC) which was launched in 2019 following the Presidential Executive Order 009.
He stated that the campaign represented a transformative movement to end open defecation in the country and highlighted the government’s unwavering resolve to address sanitation challenges through promotion of improved hygiene practices and prioritization of initiatives aimed at bridging the gap in access to WASH services for all Nigerians.
Professor Utsev underscored the pivotal role of access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in ensuring the well-being of the population, stressing the need to accelerate the Clean Nigeria Campaign.
The Minister noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu has demonstrated its steadfast commitment to the campaign’s objectives evident in the re-inauguration of the Campaign’s Steering Committee in July 2024, under Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the launch of the Revised Implementation Strategy 2025-2030, among others.
He explained that the strategy provides a comprehensive roadmap for stakeholders, addresses key bottlenecks identified during the campaign’s implementation and accelerates progress toward the goal.
According to him, the revised strategy is anchored on six critical pillars designed to drive innovation and collaboration across all levels of government, strengthen private sector participation, and enhance the efforts of development partners and other key stakeholders.
Describing the CNC as a clarion call to action, Professor Utsev urged all stakeholders to actively participate in the shared mission of achieving a cleaner and healthier Nigeria.
He commended the progress made so far, noting that as of January 2025, 142 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across 20 states had been declared open defecation-free and stressed the need for State Governments to accelerate efforts, as they are the key drivers of the campaign.
The Minister urged them to demonstrate greater commitment by investing financial and human resources necessary to meet the campaign’s ambitious targets.
The Minister also lauded the states that have shown commitment to end open defecation, encouraged lagging states to learn from their counterparts and implement key action points from the retreat for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable Nigeria for future generations.
He urged States, LGAs and development partners to take collective action to address the issue and emphasized the urgent need for renewed commitment to achieve an open defecation-free Nigeria by 2030.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, represented by the Director, Reform Coordination in the Ministry, Mr. Moses Jo-Madugu, emphasized that the coastal waters serve diverse purposes that contribute significantly to livelihoods, food security, poverty alleviation, and economic prosperity, stressing that proper management of these resources could significantly enhance national development.
In her goodwill message, Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian and Development Partners Mrs. Imna Audu, expressed concern that of Nigeria’s 36 states, only Jigawa State has achieved open defecation-free status and called for collective action from state and local governments as well as development partners, to change the narrative.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by UNICEF Chief of WASH, Dr. Jane Bevan, as well as representatives of NEWSAN (Network of Water and Sanitation NGOs), YouthWASH, the Federal Ministry of Environment, and Commissioners of Water Resources from the States.
Key highlights of the event included the unveiling of the WASH IEC materials, and the rebranding of the SURWASH logo, reinforcing government’s commitment to expanding sustainable WASH interventions across the country.
