UNICEF: 95 Million Nigerians don’t have access to Sanitation Services
The United National Educational Fund UNICEF has made a statement that more than 95 million
Nigerians lack access to sanitation services like clean water, clean toilet and others.
Olusoji Akinleye the coordinator and officer in charge of the UNICEF Office in Enugu, made
a statement on Tuesday, November 19th, 2024 in Enugu at a media dialogue to mark the 2024 World
Toilet Day with the theme Toilets: a place of peace.
This day is held every November 19th by the United Nations Observance since 2013.
According to Mr Olusoji Akinleye, 48 million Nigerians are currently practicing open defecation,
18 million children inclusive and 95 million lack access to basic sanitation services.
Also at about 70 per cent of schools without access to basic toilet sanitation services ( 91,000 schools )
88 per cent of health facilities that are without access to basic ( 27,600 health facilities ).
Furthermore he denounced that 80 per cent of motor park and markets lacks access to basic sanitation.
He blamed insufficient funds for the continued open defecation in Nigeria. only 17 per cent that is 134 out of 774
local government area have achieved open defecation ODF, with 9 per cent of success in UNICEF supported states.
Federal commitment has declined since 2023, resulting in stalled ODF initiative,
he said the annual funding that is needed for open defecation ODF was at about the tune of N168.75 billion, adding
that only N15 billion was invested in it from year 2018 to 2022.