Nigeria needs an additional 11.6 million toilets to achieve its 2030 target of becoming Open Defecation Free (ODF), according to the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev.
Utsev, revealed on Friday that the Federal Government will unveil the Clean Nigeria Campaign Strategic Plan next Tuesday, aiming to accelerate progress towards the nationwide 2030 Open Defecation-Free target.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the strategic plan’s launch and the commemoration of the 2024 World Toilet Day, themed “Toilets: A Place for Peace,” he noted that achieving ODF status involved more than building toilets.
He said that while huge progress had been made, ensuring access to and proper use of these facilities remained a crucial challenge.
“About 11.58 million toilets have been built so far as an intervention for Nigeria to achieve ODF and efforts are still ongoing to provide more sanitation facilities,” Utsev disclosed.
He explained that the challenge is not only the number of toilets available but also raising awareness and encouraging their consistent use.
