The United Nations Children Children fund UNICEF says the rate of open defecation in Nigeria is on the increase with about twenty three percent increase and forty six million Nigerians defecate in the open
Over Nine million persons in three states of Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi lack access to basic toilet
Kwara, Plateau and Ebonyi states has the highest rates of open defecation while Abia, Zamfara and Akwa Ibom states has the lowest
At a one day event to mark this year’s world toilet day organized by UNICEF in collaboration with Governments of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States experts say seventy one out of seven hundred and seventy four local government areas in Nigeria are declared open defecation free
Katsina, Jigawa and Benue states are considered to have local government areas with the highest number of open defecation free LGAs
UNICEF notes that Nigerian Government is making progress in improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene to it’s population with seventy five percent of Nigerians having access to basic drinking water services
Statistics also shows that access to sanitation especially toilet and Handwashing facilities in Nigeria has increased modestly from forty four to forty six percent from 2019 to date
Tsafe and Talata Mafara local government areas in zamfara state are considered to have more Persons engaged in open defecation which make only two percent of the state population defecate in the open or have unimproved Toilets
Eighteen percent of the total population in Sokoto and Kebbi States defecate in the open
UNICEF is says it is committed to eliminate open defecation across Communities in Nigeria
Journalists and other participants at the event were drawn from Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States
