The Federal Government of Nigeria has raised alarm over persistent sanitation challenges in the country, disclosing that less than 36 per cent of the national population currently has access to improved and functional toilet facilities.
​The revelation was made on Tuesday morning, November 10, 2026, during a press briefing held in Abuja to commemorate the upcoming 2026 World Toilet Day.
​Addressing journalists at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, who was represented by the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Mrs. Omotunde Adeola, warned that the acute deficit in basic infrastructure poses severe threats to public health, environmental safety, and human dignity.
​According to the Federal Ministry of Environment, public infrastructure across the nation is severely lagging. A significant number of high-density public spaces, including open-air markets, motor parks, schools, and rural communities, continue to function without adequate or operational toilet facilities.
​The Minister emphasized that the absence of safe latrines directly accelerates open defecation practices, leading to the severe contamination of local food and water resources. Consequently, communities across Nigeria remain vulnerable to recurring outbreaks of waterborne and sanitation-related diseases, such as cholera and typhoid fever.
​”Sanitation goes beyond the provision of household conveniences; it is an essential public health intervention, an environmental safeguard, and a fundamental requirement for human dignity,” stated Mrs. Omotunde Adeola, speaking on behalf of the Minister.
​Highlighting the theme for this year’s commemoration, “Sanitation and Gender Equality” under the campaign tagline “Safe Toilets. Equal Futures,” the government called attention to the disproportionate burden placed on vulnerable segments of society.
​The Ministry noted that women, young girls, children, older persons, and individuals living with disabilities suffer the most severe consequences from inadequate sanitation facilities. The lack of private, secure, and clean restrooms in public spaces and educational institutions frequently exposes women and girls to safety risks, privacy violations, and health vulnerabilities.
​Globally, an estimated 4.5 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation, with nearly 892 million continuing to practice open defecation.
​In response to the domestic statistics, the Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to establishing safe, dignified, and sustainable sanitation infrastructure across Nigeria.
The Ministry urged state governments, local council authorities, private sector partners, and civil society organizations to collaborate urgently to expand public facility access, enforce health regulations in public spaces, and eradicate open defecation.
