FG Decries Widespread Open Defecation, Pledges to Eliminate It by 2030
The Federal Government has raised the alarm over the persistently high levels of open defecation in Nigeria, calling the situation a major public health and developmental challenge.
Speaking through the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, the government stressed that approximately 48 million Nigerians still practise open defecation.
To tackle this, the government has committed to a revised “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” strategic plan, which sets 2030 as the new target year to make all 774 local government areas (LGAs) in the country open-defecation-free (ODF).
As part of the strategy, 142 LGAs have already been certified as ODF.
However, officials say that strong political will, better funding, and sustained behavioural-change campaigns are needed to meet the 2030 goal.
The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has called on state governments to draw up detailed action plans to accelerate progress.
He also underscored the importance of working with religious institutions, traditional leaders, and community influencers to drive advocacy and awareness.
Meanwhile, public health experts warn that achieving the 2030 target will be difficult without a dramatic increase in sanitation infrastructure. According to them, Nigeria needs over 11 million new toilets to realistically eliminate open defecation.