Get Guardian on Google…Says sanitation goes beyond the provision of household conveniences
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to safe, dignified, sustainable sanitation facilities, highlighting the importance of secure toilets, access to soap and water, and adequate menstrual hygiene in protecting the health, safety and dignity of women and girls in the country.
Besides, it said an essential public health intervention, an environmental safeguard and a fundamental requirement for human dignity as estimated 4.5 billion people still lack safely managed sanitation, while 892 million continue to practise open defecation globally.
Speaking at the 2026 World Toilet Day in Abuja, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal explained that sanitation goes beyond the provision of household conveniences or basic infrastructure, saying, it reinforces the need to create an enabling environment for full participation in education, employment and public life.
Represented by Director pollution Control and Environmental Health Mrs Omotunde Adeola, he said
Today’s occasion provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the state of sanitation in Nigeria, acknowledge the challenges that persist and renew our collective commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian has access to safe sanitation facilities.
The Minister explained that this year’s theme”Sanitation and Gender Equality,” with the campaign tagline “Safe Toilets. Equal Futures, ” underscores the urgency of accelerating action to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, 5 on Gender Equality, 3 on Good Health and Well-being, and 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities by 2030.
In Nigeria, according to him,access to safe sanitation remains a major public health and environmental challenge as many public places, including markets, motor parks, schools and communities, still lack adequate and functional toilet facilities for the people.
Lawal stressed that access to improved sanitation remains below 36% for the majority of the population, adding that this situation contributes to open defecation, contamination of food and water sources, and the spread of poor sanitation- associated diseases such as cholera, typhoid, etc.
“The consequences of inadequate sanitation are particularly severe for women, girls, children, older persons and persons living with disabilities. No child should have to miss school because of inadequate toilet facilities, and no woman or girl should have to compromise her safety and dignity because of the absence of appropriate sanitation facilities.”
He hinted that they are convening a National Dialogue on Faecal Sludge Management workshop on the 23rd November, 2026 involving seven selected States from the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory, saying , it will provide an opportunity for them to assess and share their experiences, challenges and interventions in managing faecal sludge.
Also, the Permanent Secretary,represented by Rita Okea, Deputy Director and Head, Pollution Control and Environmental Health, said the day is meant to raise awareness of the global sanitation crisis, promoting action towards achieving SDG 6, which seeks to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
She admitted that access to safe and adequate sanitation remains a major challenge in many parts of the world, including Nigeria, and millions of people continue to lack safely managed sanitation facilities, while open defecation and poor sanitation practices pose significant risks to public health, environmental quality and human dignity.
Similarly, she explained that these challenges disproportionately affect women and girls, particularly in schools, workplaces, public spaces and underserved communities, where the absence of safe, accessible and private toilet facilities can compromise their health, safety, dignity and participation in everyday activities.
