2030: The year Nigeria says goodbye to open defecation?

In 2019, former President Muhammadu Buhari signed executive order 009 to eliminate open defecation in Nigeria by 2025.

At that time, 47 million Nigerians engaged in open defecation.

The goal was to end the practice nationwide by 2025.

However, it is now 2026, and 46 million Nigerians still defecate in the open, the government has shifted the deadline.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has now set a new target.

Nigeria is expected to be open-defecation-free by 2030, many believe this goal is unrealistic.

However, some recent developments suggest it could still be achieved within the timeframe.

One key factor is the new status of local government areas in Nigeria.

They now enjoy financial autonomy after a Supreme Court ruling.

On July 11, 2024, the Supreme Court affirmed the financial independence of Nigeria’s 774 local government councils.

With financial control, local governments can now strengthen water governance structures.

This could improve access to sanitation across the country, it’s very significant.

Water governance involves decision-making regarding water management and service delivery.

This ensures equitable distribution and sustainable sanitation solutions for all.

Financially independent councils can now design financial instruments.

These will ensure sustainable funding for public toilets and sanitation facilities nationwide.

Without proper financing, sanitation projects will be abandoned.

Proper budgeting is necessary to keep sanitation infrastructure running efficiently.

Local governments can also create job opportunities in the sanitation sector.

This will boost hygiene awareness and improve public health.

A major issue has been the absence of sanitary inspectors.

These professionals ensure communities maintain proper sanitation practices.

During colonial times, sanitary inspectors were feared.

Inspectors known as ‘wole-wole’, ‘nwaole-ala’, and ‘duba-gari’, they enforced hygiene laws strictly.

They inspected homes, markets, schools, and public places.

They ensured waste disposal, pollution control, and sanitation regulations were upheld.

Sanitary inspectors also tackled disease outbreaks.

They monitored water safety, controlled pests, and prosecuted sanitation offenders in court.

In 1988, they were renamed environmental health officers.

Their role remains crucial in preventing disease outbreaks and improving hygiene.

Now that local governments have funds, they can reintroduce and empower environmental health officers nationwide.

However, achieving an open-defecation-free Nigeria requires political will.

President Tinubu must declare a state of emergency in the WASH sector.

A well-funded national sanitation campaign is needed.

This must include mass recruitment of environmental health officers at all government levels.

All public places should have accessible toilets.

Schools, markets, offices, religious centres, hospitals, and fuel stations must comply with this rule.

The government should also budget for household and community-owned toilets.

This is very crucial for long-term sanitation success.

India provides a strong example. In 2014, it launched the ‘Neat and Tidy India Mission’ to eliminate open defecation.

The Indian government allocated $20 billion for 100 million toilets in rural areas.

This strategy rapidly improved sanitation.

UNICEF estimates that Nigeria needs 20 million toilets to end open defecation.

This aligns with Sustainable Development Goals.

India was once the world’s open defecation capital, Nigeria took over this unfortunate title in 2019.

India tackled the crisis through mass behavioural change campaigns.

It mobilized communities and built sanitation facilities quickly.

By 2014, only 32% of India’s rural homes had toilets.

But, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drastic changes occurred.

His government launched the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Also it became the world’s largest rural sanitation campaign.

India’s sanitation drive was well-funded.

It involved extensive community engagement and large-scale toilet construction.

By December 2018, over 9.12 million toilets had been built.

Entire villages, districts, and states became open-defecation-free.

India’s progress was independently verified.

It was not just government propaganda but a measurable sanitation transformation.

In contrast, since 2019, only 135 local governments in Nigeria are open-defecation-free.

This is indeed a very poor performance to the president and governments.

President Tinubu must take up this challenge, he must drive nationwide rural sanitation improvements within five years.

With strong funding and determination, Nigeria can reach 90% rural sanitation coverage by 2030.

The government has the power to accomplish it.

Ending open defecation requires urgent action, the time for delays is over.

Nigeria must act now to secure a healthier future.

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