By Felicia Imohimi
The Federal Government on Wednesday celebrated Katsina and Jigawa States for attaining Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status, describing their achievement as a major milestone in the country’s sanitation drive.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ODF status is given to states or communities where everyone uses safe, hygienic toilets and no one practices open defecation.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, made the commendation at the event marking the 6th anniversary of the Clean Nigeria Campaign and the 2025 World Toilet Day in Abuja.
He was represented by Mrs Inna Binta-Audu, Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners.
Shettima said the celebration coincided with three significant sanitation milestones; the anniversary of the Clean Nigeria Campaign, the 2025 World Toilet Day, and the signing of the revised Presidential Executive Order 009 on ODF Nigeria.
He said the campaign, launched in 2019, was driven by the conviction that every Nigerian deserved access to safe sanitation and hygiene, adding that the movement had grown into a nationwide effort supported by citizens and institutions across all levels.
The Vice President noted that the revised 2030 target for an ODF Nigeria was achievable with stronger coordination, sustained advocacy, and renewed commitment from government and partners.
Shettima highlighted key achievements recorded under the campaign, including more than 150 ODF Local Government Areas, thousands of ODF communities, and millions of new household and communal toilets constructed across the country between 2019 and 2024.
He added that over 23 million Nigerians had gained access to improved sanitation during the six-year period, while millions more had been reached through behaviour-change campaigns and public advocacy efforts.
According to him, the revised Presidential Executive Order provides a strengthened legal framework for monitoring, private sector participation, and enforcement, all of which are essential to consolidating the gains made so far.
He noted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration continues to prioritise Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) as a foundation for public health, human capital development, school attendance, and community resilience.
Shettima said the 2025 World Toilet Day theme, “Sanitation in a Changing World”, underscored the need for climate-smart sanitation systems as communities grapple with pressures from climate change, urbanisation, and public health challenges.
He commended State Governments, traditional leaders, development partners, civil society, and private sector actors for their contributions to the campaign, adding that their commitment had accelerated progress and inspired innovation.
The Vice President called for intensified collaboration, increased investment in sanitation infrastructure, and the deployment of climate-resilient WASH solutions to ensure that Nigeria meets its 2030 ODF target.
Earlier, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof Joseph Utsev, said the Clean Nigeria Campaign had recorded steady improvement, with 158 Local Government Areas now verified as ODF and Katsina emerging as the latest state to achieve the milestone.
Utsev said millions of Nigerians had gained access to toilets in homes, schools and public facilities, while coordination among federal, state and local actors had strengthened implementation structures nationwide.
He said a real-time information management system had been deployed for transparent reporting, and capacity-building efforts were ongoing to equip community champions and local officers with the skills needed to sustain progress.
Utsev emphasised that sanitation remained a development priority with direct implications for health, education, productivity, and the dignity of women and girls, adding that renewed efforts were required to close existing gaps.
He expressed appreciation to Vice President Shettima, development partners, civil society groups, and traditional institutions for supporting the campaign, saying their contributions had been instrumental to Nigeria’s achievements.
The minister urged Nigerians to remain committed to proper hygiene and sanitation practices, noting that the goal of an open defecation-free Nigeria was achievable through shared responsibility and consistent action.
Also, World Bank representative, Judith Warmate, speaking on behalf of the Development Partners Group, said the event was a reminder of both Nigeria’s progress and the urgency required to achieve safely managed sanitation for all by 2030.
Warmate outlined six key messages from the World Bank, noting that sanitation is a human right and a development priority, as poor sanitation continues to cost Nigeria billions of dollars in health-related and economic losses annually.
She reaffirmed the Bank’s long-standing support through programmes such as SURWASH, Citywide Inclusive Sanitation, P-WASH, and capacity development at the National Water Resources Institute, as well as technical backing for the Clean Nigeria Campaign.
Warmate said that achieving 2030 targets demanded innovation, stronger private-sector participation, digital tools, and evidence-based decision-making using platforms such as WASHNORM to ensure accountability and effective targeting.
She stressed that sanitation investments safeguard children’s futures, reducing disease, malnutrition and school absenteeism, while calling on Nigerian youth to champion change and drive innovation in the WASH sector.
Similarly, UNICEF Chief of WASH, Dr Jane Bevan, commended the Clean Nigeria Campaign and expressed appreciation to UNICEF field teams across all states for their “fantastic effort” in supporting ODF achievements nationwide.
Bevan said UNICEF remained committed to working with government and partners to ensure that every Nigerian child grows up in a clean, healthy and dignified environment through improved sanitation and hygiene practices.
The First Lady of Kwara and Chairperson of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF), Dr Olufolake AbdulRazaq, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to accelerating access to safe sanitation.
She commended the ministry for convening a conference that brought together government, partners and civil society to advance national sanitation goals.
AbdulRazaq said the meeting was timely, noting that while progress has been made, achieving universal sanitation still requires sustained investment, innovation and strong community engagement.
She urged stakeholders to deepen collaboration, scale up Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) and adopt affordable, environmentally sustainable solutions to improve hygiene practices nationwide.
NAN reports that goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of WaterAid Nigeria, Self Help Africa, Sightsavers, line ministries, and others.
Highlights of the event included the presentation of awards and recognitions to development partners and states that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in championing sanitation efforts across the country. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade
