Open defecation is classified as unimproved sanitation. The practice of open defecation has several implications, as it pollutes both surface and groundwater sources, which subsequently facilitates the transmission of pathogens that cause waterborne diseases, especially diarrhoea. Diarrhoea disease is a leading cause of death among children significantly below five years.
Open Defecation Problems in Nigeria- A big thorn for Sanitation & Hygiene!
Nigeria is faced with sanitation and hygiene issues, and open defecation is perhaps one of the biggest and most embarrassing. In 2019, it was reported that 47 million Nigerians (around 24% of the population) practised open defecation, ranking Nigeria second globally in terms of the number of people defecating in the open. Consequently, children most especially are at risk of cholera, polio, typhoid, Ebola, malaria, etc. More than 100,000 children under five years of age die annually due to diarrhea1. In May 2020, the Federal Government inaugurated a steering committee that established the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign”, working in conjunction with the private sector to end the practice of open defecation by 2025.
President Buhari signed Executive Order 009 to end open defecation by 2025
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, 20th November 2019, signed Executive Order 009 to end open defecation by 2025. Such a positive step should be seen as one of the practical approaches to sustainability3. Nigeria has more than 46 million people who still engage in the practice of open defecation. As a result of this unhealthy practice, Nigeria has been ranked second amongst the nations in the world, with the highest number of people practising open defecation. The action taken by the President should be commended and keenly implemented to minimise the practice of open defecation. According to the President, Executive Order takes immediate effect – “by this Order, Nigeria is committed to being open defecation free by 20253. That the National Open Defecation Free (ODF) Roadmap developed by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources with support from other key related sector players across Nigeria be put into effect.” There is an establishment in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources; a National Secretariat called “Clean Nigeria Campaign Secretariat”. The Secretariat is authorised on behalf of the President to implement this Order by ensuring that all public places, including schools, hotels, fuel stations, places of worship, marketplaces, hospitals and offices, have accessible toilets and latrines within their premises. The Order was signed and effected in 2019. If actually, we are committed to this task, we still need to do more. The year 2025, set as the deadline, is already here, and it seems the assigned groups have not been able to carry out the task effectively. Can open defecation end by 2025 truly? Are the concerned authorities committed to ending open defecation by 2025 according to the executive order signed by the former president? These are the questions recently begging for answers…
Socioeconomic Implications of Open Defecation on the National Economy!
There is a growing awareness about the connections between poor sanitation and environmental and public health risks. Certainly, open defecation is the worst form of sanitation associated with significant externalities. The continuous rise of open defecation in Nigeria is a sanitation crisis with grave environmental and health risks, especially given the country’s rapidly growing population and high population density. The practice contaminates the local environment with human faeces, including surface water, public spaces, roadsides and railway lines, and it pollutes the air with a foul odour. It also manifests through flying toilets which are human excreta-wrapped and indiscriminately thrown away. For example, Open Defecation pollutes beaches in Lagos and other Nigerian coastal cities, decreasing their potential to attract local and international tourists. Through direct open defecation inside water bodies or runoff, the surface water becomes contaminated with human excreta, exposing people to diseases when they use the water for drinking or swimming. Also, open defecation reduces the human capital of a country’s workforce and inhibits people’s physical and cognitive development4. Open defecation is a major environmental, public health, and economic issue in Nigeria, imposing a heavy burden on the country’s economy. From the points emphasised below, it is obvious that open defecation is adversely leaving heavy damage on our economy yearly. For instance:
- Nigeria loses NGN 455 billion (US$3.6 billion) annually due to poor sanitation which is 1.3% of the national GDP5
- This massive economic loss is caused by factors like premature deaths from diarrheal diseases, healthcare costs, productivity losses from absenteeism, and time lost in finding places to defecate.
- Around 50 million Nigerians (26% of the population) practise open defecation6.
- Open defecation alone costs Nigeria over US$1 billion per year6
- The poorest 20% of Nigerians are 10 times more likely to practise open defecation than the wealthiest 20%, disproportionately burdening the poor with associated health and economic costs.
- According to the published report by the World Bank, eliminating open defecation in Nigeria would require building and using less than 6.5 million latrines, a relatively low-cost solution compared to the immense economic losses.
- Open defecation facilitates the transmission of diarrheal diseases, which cause around 87,000 child deaths under 5 years in Nigeria annually, nearly 90% of which are directly attributed to poor water, sanitation, and hygiene.
- Individual factors like age, education, media exposure, wealth status, and access to drinking water, as well as community factors like residence, country income status, and region, significantly influence open defecation practice in sub-Saharan Africa.
Apart from the cost implications, other subsidiary losses each year attributed to open defecation include premature death, access time, productivity losses while sick or accessing healthcare, and the amount spent on healthcare. From an economic analysis point of view, open defecation imposes a staggering economic burden on Nigeria, costing billions annually and disproportionately affecting the poorest segments of society, while relatively inexpensive solutions like building latrines could alleviate this crisis.
Recommended Solutions to End Open Defecation in Nigeria
In Africa, open defecation remains one of the most discussed topics as the United Nations estimates that 60 percent of the population does not have access to decent toilet facilities. This has contributed to bacterial diseases such as cholera, diarrhoea and polio infections. The United Nations (UN) are making known their resolve to put a lasting end to the scourge of open defecation mainly through public awareness, enactment of legislation against the act, construction of public toilets, among other interventions. Thus,
- The best solution to end open defecation in Nigeria is for the government and all concerned sectors in charge of the task to keenly follow the blueprint of WHO/UNICEF and invest sufficient funds with active sensitisation of the public.
- Moreover, both Government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should also build modern public toilets in strategic places with active plans to manage the facilities effectively as maintenance is paramount to the sustainable use of these facilities.
- Furthermore, the legislative arms at both state and national levels should mandate the landlords and landladies to build workable/functioning toilets, while sanctions should be placed on the defaulters.
Written by Aderemi Timothy Adeleye
