Nigeria’s Open Defecation Crisis Deepens, Jeopardising 2030 Sanitation Target
DESPITE years of pledges and campaigns, Nigeria’s open defecation crisis is worsening, leaving nearly 48 million citizens without access to toilets and placing the government’s revised 2030 eradication target in doubt. The practice, experts warn, continues to fuel outbreaks of cholera, diarrhoea, and other water-borne diseases, which claim the lives of more than 100,000 children annually.
The economic toll is equally devastating. According to the WASH National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) 2021 report, Nigeria loses an estimated ₦455 billion yearly—or 1.3% of GDP—through healthcare costs, lost productivity, and poor sanitation. Only 9% of households currently have access to basic sanitation services, leaving families in both rural and urban communities at risk.
Regional Disparities and Stagnant Progress
The North-Central region records the highest prevalence of open defecation, followed by the South-West. Despite years of advocacy, the figures remain largely unchanged: from 46 million people in 2019 to 48 million in 2021. In states such as Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Benue, Niger, and Rivers, enforcement remains weak, while Jigawa stands out as the only state officially declared open defecation-free (ODF).
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), poor infrastructure, lack of functional toilets, and weak enforcement contribute to the crisis. In many cases, even where toilets exist, they are poorly maintained, driving households back to bushes, waterways, and open spaces.
UNICEF and Experts Sound Alarm
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has repeatedly warned that the persistence of open defecation undermines progress in nutrition, public health, and economic development. Cristian Munduate, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, stressed that urgent investments in Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) are required.
Health and safety experts echo these concerns. Omowumi Olatunji described open defecation as both a public health and social crisis, disproportionately affecting women and children.
“The dignity and safety of women are compromised, while children, with their weak immune systems, face deadly diseases. The government must increase awareness, provide public toilets, and enforce compliance,” she said.
Olaide Balogun, another public health specialist, emphasised that children under five are most vulnerable. He warned that government efforts remain piecemeal and underfunded, stressing that stricter regulation, infrastructure investment, and public awareness must go hand in hand.
States Struggle With Enforcement
In Delta State, Commissioner for Environment Jamani Tommy Ejiro lamented the challenge of migrants defecating under bridges and in shanties, despite sensitisation campaigns and mandates for landlords to provide toilets.
In Lagos, despite boasting over 5,000 public toilets across petrol stations and government facilities, open defecation persists in Agege, Oshodi, Mushin, Iyana Ipaja, Lekki, and Ikoyi. Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab admitted that advocacy and enforcement remain weak. Arrested offenders are now compelled to clean affected areas or perform community service, while a recertification programme is underway to ensure existing toilets meet operational standards.
Other states, including Oyo, have launched task forces with support from UNICEF and NGOs, while Jigawa has sustained its ODF status through strong political will and monitoring committees.
Renewed Federal Commitment
Recognising the setbacks, Vice President Kashim Shettima in November 2024 launched the revised Clean Nigeria Campaign (CNC) Strategic Plan, extending the elimination target to 2030. The plan aims to declare all 774 local government areas ODF, focusing on infrastructure, public-private partnerships, and community-led initiatives.
“Access to safe and clean toilets is not just about infrastructure, it is about dignity, health, and safety. We urge all levels of government and partners to work collaboratively to end open defecation,” Shettima said at the flag-off.
The Way Forward
Experts agree that without increased budget allocations, effective enforcement, NGO collaboration, and grassroots education, Nigeria risks missing the new 2030 target. Women and children remain the hardest hit, stripped of dignity, safety, and health in a cycle that fuels poverty and undermines development.
As UNICEF warned, time is running out. Without urgent and coordinated action, open defecation could remain an entrenched crisis, robbing millions of Nigerians of basic human dignity and threatening national development goals.
