Making Nigeria Open Defecation Free by 2025: A National Roadmap.

This Roadmap to make Nigeria Open Defecation Free by 2025 is a nationwide sectoral document outlining a comprehensive approach to achieving an open defecation-free country through various strategies, including capacity development, sanitation marketing, the provision of public sanitation facilities, Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), promotional campaigns, and the creation of an enabling environment and coordination mechanisms. It also forms the basis for the Partnership for Expanded Water Supply and Sanitation (PEWASH) program, which seeks to create a multi-sectoral partnership between government, development partners, and the private sector to enhance water supply and sanitation services for rural communities in Nigeria. Improved sanitation and hygiene are crucial for child survival, socio-economic development, and overall societal well-being, offering benefits in health, nutrition, education, and gender dignity. The Roadmap evaluates the need for an open-defecation-free Nigeria, assesses past efforts, and proposes strategies and action points including technology options, sanitation ladders, low-cost latrines, social marketing, targeted CLTS processes, mass media, urban sanitation needs, public toilets, personnel training, coordination, and certification modifications for Open Defecation Free (ODF). The document emphasizes the need for a structured approach to promote household sanitation, especially in semi-urban and urban areas, where a significant portion of the population still practices open defecation. The roadmap advocates for the establishment of proper guidelines and investment plans to ensure the availability of funds for sanitation initiatives. It also suggests exploring innovative solutions, such as bio-gas plants attached to toilets, to generate power and revenue while improving sanitation facilities. Additionally, the document proposes various awareness campaigns, including workshops, folk songs, jingles, and the use of electronic media to educate the public about the hazards of open defecation. It highlights the importance of community involvement and the need for comprehensive planning to provide sanitary facilities in public spaces like markets and motor parks.
The key strategies for ODF outlined in Section IV of the document are as follows (i) Technology Options aiming to develop and promote various latrine designs to suit different geo-physical conditions and household preferences; (ii) Sanitation Ladder, promoting low-cost, low-water consuming pour flush latrines; (iii) Community Engagement, organizing Community Contact Drives (CCD) and Community Contact Teams (CCT) to facilitate the adoption of sanitation practices; (iv) IEC Materials for the development and use of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials to raise awareness and educate communities about sanitation options and practices.