Stakeholders have identified sanitation infrastructure as a critical but often overlooked pillar of the blue economy’s long-term success.

The World Toilet Organisation (WTO) argued that clean water resources are the foundation on which fisheries, aquaculture, maritime tourism and coastal livelihoods are built, warning that inadequate sanitation could undermine the country’s economic ambition.

Speaking on the relationship between sanitation and the blue economy, the founder of the WTO, Jack Sim, said Nigeria’s blue economy relies on healthy and clean water ecosystems.

He said that without proper sanitation, untreated wastewater and human waste discharged into rivers, lagoons and coastal waters can destroy aquatic habitats, reduce fish populations and threaten the livelihoods of millions who depend on these resources.

According to the sanitation advocate, investments in toilets, wastewater treatment and faecal sludge management should be viewed not merely as social services but as strategic economic infrastructure capable of driving growth, protecting jobs and strengthening food security.

He noted that pollution from poor sanitation practices poses significant risks to fisheries and aquaculture, sectors expected to play major roles in Nigeria’s blue economy expansion.

Cleaner waterways, he said, would improve fish stocks, enhance seafood quality and create a more sustainable environment for aquatic businesses.

Beyond fisheries, Sim emphasised, the tourism potential of improved sanitation, stating that clean beaches and waterfronts are essential for attracting visitors and private investment.

The WTO founder also highlighted the public health dimension, noting that better sanitation reduces the prevalence of waterborne diseases, leading to healthier and more productive communities that support maritime trade, fishing activities and coastal enterprises.

Environmental protection, he added, remains another compelling reason for prioritising sanitation.

He also noted that critical ecosystems such as mangroves, wetlands and estuaries, which serve as fish breeding grounds, natural coastal defences, and climate resilience buffers, are increasingly threatened by pollution from untreated waste.

To secure the future of the blue economy, Sim urged policymakers to prioritise sanitation projects in coastal and riverine communities where waste is often discharged directly into water bodies.

He called for expanded access to safe sanitation facilities, stronger faecal sludge management systems and major investments in wastewater treatment infrastructure to prevent pollutants from reaching rivers and coastal ecosystems.