By Nkiruka Nnorom
Everyday, Funmilayo Ade, a primary school pupil in one of the rural communities in Ogun State treks some kilometers from her house to collect well water from a makeshift community well for her family use.

Though she makes efforts to wake up on time to carry out this daily routine, she oftentimes, goes to school very late due to the long queues at the well.

At other times, she misses school altogether depending on the water need at home and the number of times she has to go to the well.

Funmilayo’s experience is a typical story of millions of children and women in different communities in Nigeria where acute water scarcity, lack of access to clean water resources and sanitation facilities are commonplace problems.

Acute water scarcity is a familiar challenge to homes in Nigeria where sourcing of own water (even when it’s not safe for drinking) has become a daily struggle.

From rural to urban communities, Nigerians live the experience, a problem that stemmed from lack of infrastructure, poor attention and lack of commitment to the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) needs of the people by the government among others.

State of WASH facilities in Nigeria

In 2018, Nigeria’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector was declared to be in a state of emergency.

According to the World Bank, an approximately 60 million Nigerians were living without access to basic drinking water in 2019; 80 million lacked access to improved sanitation facilities, while 167 million had no access to basic hand washing facilities.
Sadly, the situation is getting even worse as an estimated 179 million Nigerians, about 87 percent of the population, were reported by the World Bank as lacking access to safe drinking water in 2023.

In rural areas, 39 percent of the households lack access to, at least, basic water supply, while only half have access to improved sanitation and almost a third (29%) practice open defecation.

With the present climate change, it is estimated that acute water scarcity will displace between 20 million and 60 million people in Nigeria by 2030.

Meanwhile, Nigerians, especially the urban dwellers, have resorted to drilling boreholes in their individual homes ((no matter how shallow it is) to fill the gap, while in rural areas, the story of women and children covering long distances to collect water from public wells and boreholes still remains.

Government efforts

The government has been making efforts to improve WASH facilities through various initiatives introduced over the years though some of these initiatives are not followed through due to corruption in the water sector in Nigeria.

In 2018 for instance, the Muhammadu Buhari led administration declared a state of emergency in the WASH sector with the launch of the National Action Plan for the revitalisation of the sector.

The plan included an 18-year month emergency plan, five-year recovery plan and a 13-year revitalisation strategy that targeted investment of an estimated N1.6 trillion over five years to provide water and sanitation to 90 percent of the population.

Also, in 2020, the World Bank approved the Nigerian Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene program (SURWASH) with the aim of providing six million people with essential drinking water services and 1.4 million access to improved sanitation services.

There is the effort to also construct water points and sanitation compartments in different locations in some parts of the country.

However, laudable as these initiatives might sound, there still remained a challenge due to low budgetary allocations, lack of commitment to follow through with the plans as well as corruption and financial theft prevalent in public sector in Nigeria.

Nestle’s WASH initiatives to the rescue
As the saying goes, “a stitch in time saves nine”, and that is why corporate bodies like Nestle Nigeria Plc are in a race against time to alleviate the problem by providing their host communities with water and sanitation facilities.

Nestle Nigeria Plc has been creating shared value in its host communities by investing in projects that improve livelihood and provide relief to the likes of Funmilayo.

Specifically, in the last three years, the company has commissioned not less than 18 WASH facilities to cater to water and sanitation needs of learners and educators in some schools in Ogun State communities where it operates.

Moreso, in Ogun State alone, it has completed and commissioned facilities in ten schools, serving 4,000 learners and educators as well as members of the immediate communities.
Additionally, the Nestle has expended N62.292 million in the last two years between 2022 and 2023 financial year end on its community water projects, and school projects along with its scholarship schemes.

The company’s interventions support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which advocates availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030.

The company’s drive also aligns with the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles 1, which requires regulated entities to develop and promote investment in community projects and initiatives that contribute to the sustainable development of their host communities.

The NGX ESG principles also stipulates that companies should align their community development programmes with Nigeria’s overall goal for sustainable economic and social development.

Through the various projects, Nestle Nigeria now provides more than 14 million litres of water daily to the beneficiaries.

The company said in its ESG report that “in addition to 16 new WASH facilities commissioned in the past 3 years, yielding over 14 million litres of clean safe water to our communities, in 2023, we successfully completed water and sanitation facilities to two schools in communities around our operations -Wesley School 2, Sagamu, Ogun State and Local Government Primary School, Ketu Adie Ovie, Ado Odo Ota , also in Ogun State.

Through the new facilities, over 930 learners and teachers in these schools now have access to clean and safe drinking water and sanitation facilities.”

Nestle’s interventions in water and sanitation facilities for beneficiary schools also underscores its commitment to comprehensive health education, enhancing quality of life and building thriving communities.

Absence of water, sanitation services pose significant health risk – Uwadoka

Speaking at the commissioning of the latest WASH facilities in Local Government Primary School at Ketu Adie Ovie, Ado Odo Ota, Ogun State, Nestlé Nigeria’s Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Victoria Uwadoka, said that absence, inadequacy, or mismanagement of water and sanitation services pose significant health risks, adding that recurrent instances of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) related illnesses among children contribute to school absenteeism and malnutrition.

She said: “At Nestlé, we recognize that maintaining appropriate hygiene standards and practices which is one of the pillars of Nestlé for Healthier Kids (N4HK) is very difficult in the absence of basic water and sanitation facilities.

“Therefore, we have invested in providing access to water and sanitation facilities in the N4HK beneficiary schools. In Ogun State alone, we have completed and commissioned facilities in ten schools, serving 4,000 learners and educators as well as members of the immediate communities.

“The commissioning is very significant as it is one more achievement towards our resolve to make access to water a reality in every school to serve the educators, learners in the school and several families within the community.

“The N4HK program, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6), ensures availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

“The absence, inadequacy, or mismanagement of water and sanitation services pose significant health risks, impeding human well-being and hindering social and economic development. “Recurrent instances of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) related illnesses among children contribute to school absenteeism and malnutrition.

“As outlined in Goal 6 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene remains a global imperative,” she added.

Speaking on Nestlé’s commitment to improving learning and teaching in schools within its communities, the MD/CEO of Nestlé Nigeria, Mr. Wassim Elhusseini, said: “At Nestlé, we recognise that water is essential for livelihood and wellbeing. We are, therefore, delighted to provide access to clean water and hygiene facilities in one more school within our immediate environment.

Govt endorsement, recognition of Nestle’s efforts

The effort by the company to improve WASH facilities has been acknowledged and applauded by both the government and community leaders alike.

The Honorable Commissioner for Education in Ogun State, Professor Abayomi Arigbabu, acknowledging Nestle’s efforts, said: “The sustained partnership with Nestle Nigeria in promoting a conducive and sustainable environment for education is commendable.

“We commend the company for conceptualizing this noble idea of provision of water and sanitation facilities in schools, which is aimed at providing a healthier environment for the safety of our children.

“This contribution to the welfare of the leaders of tomorrow is highly commendable, and we do not take it for granted. Your consistent efforts to add value through the provision of water and sanitation facilities in schools within Ogun State is highly appreciated.”

The Board Chairperson of Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, said: “The commissioning of the water, sanitation and hygiene facilities by Nestle is another milestone in our collective drive to further improve the state of personal hygiene in our schools and society at large.”