The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, announced on Friday that the Federal Government will launch the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan next Tuesday, aimed at achieving an open defecation-free Nigeria by 2030.
At a press briefing in Abuja, ahead of World Toilet Day (WTD) 2024, Utsev noted that only 135 Local Government Areas (LGAs) have attained Open Defecation-Free (ODF) status. The 2024 WTD theme, “Toilets: A Place for Peace,” highlights sanitation’s vital role in public health and safety.
Utsev explained that the government has rolled out various initiatives to address sanitation gaps and support Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) for water and sanitation. These include the National Action Plan for sector revitalization, the Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH) programme, and the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign, aligned with Presidential Executive Order 009 for an ODF Nigeria by 2025.
“The Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan is a comprehensive framework that charts our path to a cleaner Nigeria by 2030,” Utsev said. He stressed the plan’s potential to improve public health, productivity, and dignity, requiring strong advocacy and political backing, especially at the local level.
World Toilet Day, celebrated on November 19, aims to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis and advance SDG 6, which promises sanitation for all by 2030.
This year’s WTD activities will include the launch of the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan by Vice President Kashim Shettima in Abuja, as well as events in Kano, Kwali Area Council, Borno, Anambra, and Ogun states celebrating ODF communities and sanitation champions.
Utsev emphasized that the event would inspire greater commitment from government and private sector stakeholders to improve sanitation infrastructure in homes and workplaces.
To date, 11.58 million toilets have been built in Nigeria’s push to end open defecation, with efforts continuing to expand facilities nationwide. The “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign, launched in 2019, has led to 135 ODF-certified LGAs. However, Utsev acknowledged that meeting the 2025 target remains challenging and called for renewed focus on advocacy and strategy.
Permanent Secretary Richard Pheelangwah reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing dignified sanitation for all Nigerians, praising the Minister’s leadership in the fight against open defecation.
