Nigeria loses N1.7b annually to poor sanitation – Wateraid

The country may be losing N1.7billion of its annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to poor sanitation and hygiene, WaterAid Nigeria has revealed. The international non-governmental organisation also said about 60, 000 children under-five die yearly in Nigeria due to poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. 

The Acting Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, Evelyn Mere disclosed this during the launch of Keep Your Promises campaign in Abuja, to call on leaders to deliver on their water and sanitation commitments made during the last general elections.

Mere said: “The situation for sanitation is getting worse. Not only did Nigeria not meet the Millennium Development Goal for sanitation, but it currently has no hope of meeting the Sustainable Development Goals as the proportion of people without a toilet is steadily increasing.” 

The WaterAid chief said the organisation gained the commitment of 120 candidates across the country to prioritise WASH if voted into power. “Building on this, WaterAid and its partners are implementing the Keep Your Promises advocacy campaign to lobby elected officials to honour their commitments,” she said.