The federal government has stressed the urgent need to improve access to clean and functional toilets across Nigeria to reduce the spread of diseases.

Minister of environment, Balarabe Lawal, represented by the permanent secretary, Mahmud Kambari, made the call in Abuja during a press briefing to mark the 2025 World Toilet Day.

Mr Lawal said inadequate toilet facilities in public places, especially markets, motor parks and schools, exposed Nigerians to health risks, promoted open defecation, and increased cases of cholera, typhoid and other sanitation-related diseases.

“Access to a safe and clean toilet is a fundamental human right that protects health, preserves dignity, and safeguards the environment,” he said.

He noted that in spite of global progress, billions of people still lacked safe sanitation, with 892 million practising open defecation.

He added that improving sanitation could prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, particularly among women and children.

The minister said Nigeria continued to face major sanitation challenges, stressing the need to end open defecation by 2030.

Speaking at the event, Abubakar Kende, secretary-general of the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS), said the 2025 theme, “We’ll Always Need the Toilet,” underscored sanitation as a constant human necessity.

He noted that the need remained critical amid growing challenges such as climate change, migration, population growth and ageing infrastructure.

Mr Kende said floods, droughts, erosion and rising water tables regularly damaged sanitation facilities, contaminated water sources and increased health risks.

Mr Kambari, represented by Bahijjatu Abubakar, director of the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, said the commemoration provided an opportunity to review progress and renew commitments to ending open defecation nationwide.

(NAN)