‘Nigeria requires 9.5m toilets to address open defecation’

Water resources experts have disclosed that Nigeria needs at least 9.5 million toilets to effectively address open defecation across the country within the next five years.

Addressing a technical session at the 26th National Council on Water Resources on Wednesday in Minna, the Managing Partner/Chief Executive Officer Mangrove and Partners Limited, Timeyin Uwejamomere, said the projection would entail building two million toilets every year to ensure good sanitation and improved health.

“Nigeria needs to build about two million (2,000,000) toilets every year for the next five years which means about ten thousand (10,000) toilets everyday for improved sanitation and proper hygiene.

“In all, in the next five years, we need nothing less than 9.5million toilets and about ten thousand (10,000) sewage treatment plants across the country,” he said.

Speaking on the theme of the event “Water, Sanitation and Job creation”, he said “we can keep Nigeria clean and use toilet campaign to improve hygiene”.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Mrs. Comfort Ekaro, said the federal government wants everyone to be involved in building toilets.

“Sanitation and hygiene is part and topmost on our agenda at this event because we have launched an action against open defecation.”