By Emmanuel Elebeke

The Coordinator of YouthWASH Initiative Africa, Mr. Nature Obiakor says only 67% of the population has access to basic water services, while 33% rely on unimproved sources.

Obiakor disclosed yesterday at the commemoration of World Toilet Day 2024 and launch of the YouthWASH Digital Hangout held in Abuja.

He also revealed that safely managed water services are accessible to just 9% of households in Nigeria.

According to him, only 46% of Nigerians have access to basic sanitation, with 23% still practicing open defecation, impacting approximately 47 million people, adding that Safely managed sanitation remains limited at 10%.

On Hygiene, the YouthWASH Initiative Coordinator, further revealed that only 16% of the population can access basic handwashing facilities, leaving 84% without adequate hygiene infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the YouthWASH Initiative Africa has launched YouthWASH Digital Hangout as part of activities to mark World Toilet Day 2024.

It is aimed at engaging youth across Nigeria in meaningful discussions, advocacy, and action to improve access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.

According to Obiakor, the YouthWASH Digital Hangout was launched to serve as an inclusive space where young people can share ideas, report challenges, and drive solutions in the WASH sector.

“As we celebrate World Toilet Day and the milestones of the Clean Nigeria campaign, we must continue to prioritize youth engagement and amplify voices that can propel sustainable change.

“This launch is in line with the implementation of the National YouthWASH Strategic Framework as a component of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet campaign implementation. We also call on stakeholders to recognize the role of young people in WASH sector planning and programming in the spirit of leaving no one behind,” he said.

Obiakor urged Nigerians to always appreciate the importance of portable clean water, sanitation and hygiene for healthy living and sustainable of clean environment.

Some of the key objectives of the YouthWASH Digital Hangout include:

to promote awareness about the ongoing sanitation crisis and the importance of safe toilets; engage youth leaders in discussions on solutions for WASH-related challenges and to drive advocacy for greater investment; better governance in the WASH sector and to foster innovation by encouraging youth-led projects and community-based actions.

While quoting the 2021 National Outcome Routine Mapping (NORM) report, Obiakor said Nigeria still faces significant challenges in achieving sustainable WASH services and called for renewed commitment towards WASH.

“For me, the YouthWASH Digital Hangout was a catalyst for youth-driven initiatives that reinforce the critical role of safe sanitation in public and environmental health.

“As we mark the 5th Anniversary of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign, YouthWASH Initiative Africa I call on all stakeholder from policymakers to community leaders to intensify efforts to achieve universal access to safe sanitation by 2030.”

Speaking on the Digital Hangout, the Spokesperson of WASH, Peter Ogbudu said, young people are critical in spreading the message of WASH because the strength and the brain behind every success in any nation lies in them, and that’s why involving them is very important. “I mean, in terms of energy, in terms of dedication, in terms of willingness, in terms of the will to move and drive this campaign, young people are very important.

“You need people to drive the process, and that’s why involvement of young people in this campaign, if it must be successful, then young people must champion the campaign. There are so many policies within this Clean Nigeria initiative, and part of which most of these young people may not be aware of.

“The issue of Clean Nigeria, it’s a national issue. Bringing these people together is going to be processed one at a time.

“After training these ones, we expect them to go and train another person. You know, that person will also go. So it’s going to be segmented.

We’ll break the training down until it gets to the 744 local governments across the country. That’s the idea, really. So, awareness is very key.”

The theme of this year’s World toilet Day is: “Toilets – A Place for Peace”.

This year’s World Toilet Day highlighted the urgent need to protect and strengthen sanitation services in the face of threats such as conflict, climate change, disasters, and neglect and the unveiling and the inaugural edition of the Hangout was structured as a 10-day hybrid event, featuring both online and in-person participation, with daily dialogues and digital engagement lasting 2 hours each day.