The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called on states in Nigeria’s South-West region to strengthen efforts toward eliminating open defecation and achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target on sanitation by 2030.
UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, Monday Johnson, made the appeal on Thursday during a two-day media dialogue on accelerating actions to improve urban water, sanitation, and hygiene in Nigeria. The event was organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Information in collaboration with UNICEF and held at Ilaji Resort and Hotel, Ibadan.
The dialogue brought together media professionals and stakeholders from Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Lagos, and Edo States to discuss ways to advance the Citywide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) approach across the region.
Johnson emphasised that achieving CWIS is crucial to ensuring equitable access to safe sanitation services for all urban residents, including those in informal settlements.
“Citywide Inclusive Sanitation is a strategy for all,” he said. “It is not focused on a particular section of the community but considers every stratum of the urban environment. It assesses existing capacities and settlements and defines what should be done in each area according to its specific needs.”
He explained that CWIS promotes collaboration among stakeholders, eliminates overlapping roles, and enhances coordination within the sanitation sector. “When stakeholders plan together, responsibilities become clear. This reduces conflicts among communities, states, or ministries because everyone understands their roles,” he added.
Highlighting the economic potential within the sanitation value chain, Johnson noted that households already make significant financial contributions, from constructing latrines to evacuating and disposing of waste.
“Funds exist within the system — from facility construction to waste evacuation and disposal. With proper coordination, the private sector can confidently invest, knowing that people are willing to pay for essential sanitation services,” he stated.
Johnson commended Jigawa and Katsina States for achieving open defecation-free (ODF) status, describing them as models for other states. However, he expressed concern over the South-West region’s slow progress.
“So far, only two local government areas in Ogun State have been declared open defecation-free. Apart from these, no other LGA in the South-West has reached that milestone,” he said. “This calls for urgent action if we are to meet national and global sanitation targets.”
He reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting state and local governments in developing sustainable sanitation systems that promote public health, dignity, and environmental protection.
Earlier, UNICEF Advocacy, Media, and Communication Officer, Blessing Ejiofor, urged journalists to use their platforms to promote Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) as a fundamental human right.
Ejiofor encouraged the media to intensify awareness campaigns that would drive behavioural change and strengthen government accountability in achieving universal access to clean water and safe sanitation.
