Save the Children International says more than 161 million Nigerians lack safe water, exposing millions of children to preventable diseases and undermining their health, education and overall wellbeing.

SCI issued the warning in a statement on Wednesday to mark the 2026 Day of the African Child.

The organisation also said about 70 per cent of Nigerian children lack access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, a gap it described as a major barrier to healthy growth and development.

The SCI said only six per cent of healthcare facilities in Nigeria have basic WASH services, while just 26.5 per cent of the population has access to improved drinking water and sanitation services.

“More than 10 million school children still lack basic sanitation facilities in their schools, a situation she said continues to negatively affect learning outcomes, particularly among girls.

“Inadequate access to clean water and sanitation has left children vulnerable to diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid, with diarrhoeal diseases alone killing more than 70,000 children under the age of five annually.

“The challenge is more severe in rural and underserved communities, where many families depend on unsafe water sources and lack access to improved sanitation facilities,” the organisation warned.

It further stated that about 22 per cent of Nigerians still practise open defecation, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks and environmental contamination.

The SCI reiterated that access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is a fundamental right, calling for stronger collective action to improve the lives of children across the country.

SCI deputy country director, Jane Mbagi, said, “As Nigeria joins the rest of the continent to mark the Day of the African Child, the urgency of action has never been clearer.

“The theme calls for renewed commitment from governments, development partners and communities to ensure that every child, regardless of where they live, has access to safe, reliable and sustainable WASH services.”

She urged governments to increase funding for WASH programmes and accelerate implementation of national strategies, while calling on development partners to prioritise long-term investments in the sector.

Ms Mbagi also appealed to communities to adopt improved hygiene practices and support efforts to end open defecation, and encouraged the private sector to expand access to WASH services through innovation and partnerships.

(NAN)