Stakeholders have called for stronger collaboration between government agencies, private operators, and communities to improve access to safe and sustainable toilet facilities in Kaduna state.
The call was made at a meeting with toilet business owners, organised by the Centre for Water and Environment Development (CWED) on Thursday in Kaduna, as part of activities to commemorate the 2025 World Toilet Day.
The meeting, held under the theme “Sanitation in a Changing World,” brought together toilet operators, environmental health officers, representatives of government ministries, agencies and civil society organisations.
Mrs. Doris Zakama, Programme Manager of CWED and Public Relations Officer, Kaduna Chapter of the Nigeria Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), said the meeting is aimed at raising awareness on the importance of safe and improved toilets.
Zakama said the annual World Toilet Day celebration provided an opportunity to highlight the need for good hygiene and proper waste management.
“It is not just about having a toilet, but ensuring it is improved, clean and accessible.
“Without toilets, we cannot prevent the spread of diseases. We must discourage open defecation and promote safe sanitation for all,”she said.
Zakama emphasised that sanitation challenges required joint effort, adding that no single ministry or agency could solve the problem alone.
“We must work together, government, private sector, NGOs and communities,” she said.
She explained that some private operators could not build toilets in low-income or rural areas without government support because of low patronage.
Mr Bello Ibrahim, the Director of Sanitation and Hygiene at the Kaduna State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), said his agency is mandated to oversee issues related to water, sanitation, and hygiene.
He said the meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen inter-agency collaboration to address sanitation challenges.
“I urge toilet business owners to take this training as leverage to promote their business and contribute to Kaduna’s sanitation
goals,” he added.
Hauwa Ismail, a Chief Health Supretendent, Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA), highlighted ongoing enforcement activities, stressing that illegal disposal of liquid waste remains a challenge.
Ismail, who is also KEPA’s Head of Liquid Waste Disposal, lamented that some households and toilet business operators still discharge waste directly into drains, which is illegal.
“We conduct house-to-house inspections and issue abatement notices to stop such practices,” she said.
Mr. Kuzasuwat Peter, State Coordinator of Nigeria Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), who was the lead presenter at the meeting, said sanitation is beyond building toilet structures.
“You can build beautiful toilets, but if they are not well maintained, they become useless,” he said.
Kuzasuwat stressed the importance of hygiene and handwashing, saying many diseases were transmitted through poor sanitation practices.
“After using the toilet, we must wash our hands with soap and running water. Where soap is not available, ash can be used as it kills microorganisms,” he said.
He also called for inclusive designs to cater for people with disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly, while urging builders to consider the impact of climate change on sanitation facilities.
“Our toilets must be climate-resilient, with raised foundations and ramps for easy access,” he added.
A Toilet Business Operator (TBO) from Igabi Local Government Area, Shittu Khalid,
commended the government for building public toilets but said most were not functioning due to poor maintenance.
“In some communities like Zongo, Kujama and Sabo, there are no functional toilets. People still practice open defecation because the ones built by government are either locked or broken,” he said.
Khalid appealed for support for private operators through materials, training and awareness campaigns to improve service delivery.
“If TBOs are supported, we can help government maintain the toilets. Without maintenance, they quickly spoil,” he added.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, participants resolved to promote hygiene practices that prevent disease transmission, encourage sustainable toilet management, and strengthen collaboration among sanitation stakeholders.
They also urged government to improve toilet evacuation systems and provide incentives for private operators to sustain their services.
The meeting ended with a renewed commitment by participants to support efforts toward ending open defecation and promoting clean and safe sanitation in Kaduna State.
