Nigeria is presently falling short of meeting the global target for sanitation under the Sustainable Development Goals, according to information released by the Federal Government on Tuesday.
Additionally, it was mentioned that the nation loses almost $3 billion a year as a result of open defecation and the usage of unkempt or shared toilets.
However, the government was making a lot of effort to address the issues that were brought to light, according to Prof. Joseph Utsev, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, who made this revelation in Abuja at the National Workshop on Safely Managed Sanitation.
“Achievable by 2030, access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations,” he stated, referring to Sustainable Development Goal target 6.2 for sanitation. We recognize that having access to properly managed sanitation is not only a fundamental human right but also a prerequisite for both social and economic advancement.
“Achieving the global SDG sanitation aim of safely managed services is off-track and regretfully among those furthest behind, with only six years till the SDG target date of 2030.”
According to Utsev, there were significant differences in access between wealth quintiles and geographical areas.
In Nigeria, just 18% of people have access to safely managed facilities, and only 46% of people have access to basic sanitation services. Additionally, roughly 25% of people practice open defecation.
“Therefore, we must triple our investment in the sector and make five times the current progress in order to achieve the SDG target 6.2. The realization that it would greatly aid in the accomplishment of our country’s developmental goals as well as the major areas of this government’s focus drives the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving the SDG 6 target for sanitation,” he said.
He listed a few of the top priorities, which included inclusiveness, economic growth and job creation, eradicating poverty, and ensuring food security.
According to Utsev, there are potential throughout the sanitation value chain that might save healthcare costs and promote economic growth, job creation, and increased productivity.
“The World Bank report in 2012 on the economic impact of poor sanitation due to the use of unsanitary or shared toilets and open defecation cost Nigeria an estimated N455bn, equivalent to $3bn in losses annually, with open defecation accounting for a third of this amount,” the minister said when discussing the financial implications of poor sanitation.
“Health care, lost productivity, early mortality, and subpar educational results are some of these expenditures. Open defecation has social consequences that are incalculable in monetary terms, such as diminished privacy, loss of dignity, and increased susceptibility to physical assault and violence, particularly against women and girls.”
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, 48 million Nigerians—or 23% of the nation’s population—still urinate in public areas.
The North-West geopolitical zone accounts for 11% of this total, followed by the North-East at 17%, the North-Central region at 47%, the South-West region at 24%, the South-South region at 23%, and the South-East region at 23%.
Mamita Bora Thakkar, the North-East Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Manager for the international organization, speaks at a news conference in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, ahead of the 2023 World Toilet Day event, which is observed on November 19.