The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, announced on Friday that the Federal Government will unveil the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan next Tuesday, aiming to expedite the nation’s goal of becoming Open Defecation-Free (ODF) by 2030.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the launch and the commemoration of the 2024 World Toilet Day, themed “Toilets: A Place for Peace,” Utsev shared that only 135 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria had achieved ODF status.
He emphasized that the Federal Government, through his ministry, had been executing various initiatives to improve basic sanitation and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) for water and sanitation in the country.
Some initiatives include the creation of a National Action Plan to revive the sector, partnerships for expanded water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply and Sanitation programs, and the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign. These efforts are supported by the Presidential Executive Order 009, which sets a target for ODF Nigeria by 2025, among other efforts.
Utsev described the strategic plan as a comprehensive framework to ensure that every Nigerian will have reasonable access to a toilet by 2030. He stated, “The Strategic Plan for the Clean Nigeria Campaign is a comprehensive, actionable framework that outlines our path to a clean Nigeria where everyone will have reasonable access to a toilet by the year 2030.” He further noted, “The importance of this campaign cannot be overemphasised because every step taken toward ending public education will improve health, boost productivity, and enhance the dignity and safety of our citizens.”
Achieving this goal, Utsev explained, would require active advocacy and the engagement of relevant stakeholders to rally political support, especially at the sub-national level. He highlighted that the theme for the 2024 World Toilet Day, focusing on toilets as places of peace, protection, and progress, was crucial for public and environmental health.
World Toilet Day, celebrated annually on November 19, aims to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis and promote SDG 6, which promises universal sanitation access by 2030.
This year’s World Toilet Day activities will include the launch of the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan by Vice President Kashim Shettima on November 19, 2024, at the State House in Abuja. There will also be a commemoration event organized by the Federal Ministry of Environment in partnership with the Kano State Government. Other events will celebrate ODF communities, such as in Kwali Area Council by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, the launch of ODF roadmaps in states like Borno, and the celebration of Ikenne as an ODF LGA in Ogun State.
The minister stressed that these activities would help mobilize political commitment at the sub-national level, encouraging stakeholders and government institutions to provide sanitation facilities for homes and workplaces. He added that over 11.58 million toilets had been constructed so far to support Nigeria’s ODF efforts, with plans to build more facilities in the future.
The “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign, launched in 2019, has been an ambitious national movement aimed at ending open defecation across the country. So far, 135 LGAs have attained ODF status, and over 30,000 communities have been certified as ODF. However, Utsev acknowledged the challenges in meeting the 2025 target, noting the need to reassess and improve key strategies to raise advocacy and awareness.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Richard Pheelangwah, emphasized the government’s commitment to providing Nigerians with dignified sanitation access. He said, “Our gathering here today is not just to mark a new Nigeria using toilet campaign and launch of a new strategic plan, but rather to commit ourselves to a future where every Nigerian looks forward to having access to safe and dignified sanitation facilities.”
He concluded by commending Minister Utsev for his leadership in advancing the national program to eliminate open defecation.
