Balarabe Lawal, the minister of environment, has raised alarm over the growing sanitation crisis in Nigeria, warning that poor environmental hygiene is fueling the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera, monkeypox, dengue fever, and COVID-19.
Lawal stated this on Thursday in Abuja during a ministerial press briefing held in preparation for the 2025 National Environmental Sanitation Day (NESD) observance.
The minister who was represented by Bahijjahtu Abubakar, the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, emphasized that unsanitary conditions create a breeding ground for vector-borne diseases, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
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He pointed out that the recurrence of illnesses like cholera, monkeypox, dengue fever, and COVID-19 demonstrates the critical need for improved sanitation and hygiene infrastructure.
According to Lawal, the focus of this year’s National Environmental Sanitation Day (NESD) goes beyond simply providing sanitation facilities. Instead, it emphasizes the importance of managing these systems safely to curb disease outbreaks and safeguard public health.
He stressed the need for a more holistic strategy one that promotes good hygiene habits, ensures proper waste disposal, and strengthens the overall management of sanitation services.
“The theme reflects a growing recognition that effective hygiene is key to disease prevention. It represents a move toward longer-lasting and more meaningful interventions,” he said.
Lawal described NESD, observed every year on June 28, as a vital public engagement tool to promote awareness about sanitation and hygiene as low-cost, life-saving interventions.
Edwin Isotu-Edeh, a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nigeria, emphasized the urgent need for greater investment in the country’s sanitation sector.
He revealed that environmental hazards—such as inadequate sanitation, climate-related challenges, and toxic chemical exposure—are responsible for a quarter of all preventable deaths in Nigeria.
Isotu-Edeh highlighted the strong connection between proper sanitation, hygiene, and public health, noting that these are not only health imperatives but also crucial for promoting fairness and sustainable development.
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“Safe sanitation is a basic human right, not a luxury,” he stated, citing World Health Assembly Resolutions 64 and 24 in support of this position.
He cautioned that Nigeria’s ongoing sanitation crisis continues to endanger lives, particularly by heightening the risk of cholera and other infectious diseases, and urged a coordinated, cross-sectoral response to confront the issue head-on.
The National Environmental Sanitation Day (NESD) an annual event observed in Nigeria every June 28. It serves as a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the critical importance of environmental sanitation and hygiene in promoting public health and preventing disease.
