A report titled Sanitation Economy Markets : Nigeria by The Toilet Board Coalition has revealed estimated size of the sanitation economy markets of products and services in Nigeria is relatively smaller than the population of the country, giving rise to alarming rates of health and social challenges.
Quoting figures from the World Health Organization and UNICEF’s Joint Monitoring Project, 2019, which states 39% of Nigeria’s 191 million citizens have access to safely managed and basic sanitation; the Toilet Board Coalition reported that poor sanitation was costing the country the equivalent of $ 3 billion annually and 1.3% of the national gross domestic product resulting in premature deaths, productivity losses and health care expenses.
‘For Nigeria to get back on track to achieve SDG6, it will need to triple its current budget allocation to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)’, says The Toilet Board Coalition.
The report however, presented encouraging insights like a growing interest in sanitation in Nigeria, with a robust will to drive the Open Defecation Free status. Evidence of the commitment is the Clean Nigeria Campaign, which aims to achieve ODF status by 2025. This shows that despite the country’s hardships, the sanitation economy is demonstrating resilience and expansion.
The Toilet Board Coalition came to the conclusion that governments, private sectors and investment sectors need to come together to address incentivizing, investment and innovation for SMEs in the WASH sector and make WASH a focus in poverty alleviation/youth empowerment programmes and initiatives.
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