Nigeria set to become number one open defecation practising country

Nigeria is set to become the world’s open defecation capital, Suleiman Adamu, the Minister for Water Resources, has said.

Adamu stated this on Saturday while speaking on the theme: ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Sustained Development’ at the 3rd Founder’s Day ceremony of Edo University, Iyamho.

The minister, represented by Ahmad Saliu, the MD of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, said Nigeria was unable to attain the Millennium Development Goals targets for water supply and sanitation because of poor investments, low capacity and other challenges.

Adamu said: “Nigeria will become the number one open defecation practising country when Indian becomes open defecation free in October.

Access to sanitation has been on the decline from 30% in 2010 to 28% in 2015. Open defecation has been on the increase and there was not a single LGA in Nigeria that is open defecation free.

It is estimated that more than 48 million Nigerians practise open defecation and that placed Nigeria as second in the world (behind Indian). So far there are 10 LGAs in the country that have attained open defecation free status.”