Nigeria needs an additional 11.6 million toilets and an annual budget of N10 billion to achieve its target of becoming open defecation free (ODF) by 2030, according to Joseph Utsev, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Friday, Utsev highlighted the funding gap, noting that only half of the required budget has been allocated annually.
He emphasized that the challenge is not just providing toilets but also ensuring they are consistently used by the population.
“The challenge is not only the number of toilets available but also raising awareness and encouraging their consistent use,” Utsev said, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
To accelerate progress, the minister revealed plans to relaunch the national ODF strategy. “The Vice President will lead the relaunch of our strategy in a more impactful way,” he stated.
The minister’s remarks come as part of renewed efforts to address sanitation issues in the country, which remain a significant public health and environmental concern.
