State governments across Nigeria’s Northwest region have agreed to establish special sanitation funds in their 2026 budgets, as part of a coordinated effort to tackle the growing challenges of poor hygiene, waste management, and environmental degradation in the region.
The resolution was reached at the end of a two-day regional sanitation and environmental health summit held in Kano, where commissioners for environment and health from the seven Northwest states — Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa, and Zamfara — met with federal officials, donor agencies, and civil society groups.
In a communique issued at the end of the summit, the states pledged to prioritize sanitation in their fiscal planning and allocate dedicated funds to support regular waste collection, public toilet construction, drainage maintenance, and hygiene awareness campaigns.
“The creation of special sanitation funds is a necessary and urgent step to address the worsening environmental and health conditions in our states,” said Dr. Amina Bello, Chairperson of the Northwest Environmental Coordination Committee and Commissioner for Environment in Kaduna State. “It will allow for targeted interventions and sustainable programming, particularly in densely populated urban and rural communities.”
According to data presented at the summit by the Federal Ministry of Environment, open defecation, indiscriminate waste disposal, and flooding remain persistent challenges in the Northwest, with direct implications for public health, particularly in the spread of cholera, typhoid, and malaria.
The initiative is expected to complement the Federal Government’s Clean Nigeria Campaign and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which seeks to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all.
Representatives from UNICEF and the World Bank also pledged technical and financial support for the initiative, urging state governors to demonstrate political will by ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of the funds.
“We are pleased to see this level of regional commitment,” said Mr. David Mensah, a representative of UNICEF Nigeria. “Sustainable sanitation financing is critical to ending open defecation and promoting hygiene in schools, health centres, and public spaces.”
The summit also called for legislation in each state to protect the sanitation funds from political interference and ensure that they are ring-fenced for their intended purpose.
Residents and community-based organizations have welcomed the move but urged governments to follow through with action, noting that past commitments have often failed due to lack of implementation.
If fully executed, the special sanitation funds are expected to drive cleaner, healthier, and more resilient communities in the Northwest as the region battles climate-related and public health risks.
