The Nigeria Government has reiterated its commitment to enhancing sanitation and hygiene practices across the country.
The Minister of Environment, Mr. Balarabe Lawal, made this known during a ministerial press briefing to commemorate the 2025 National Environmental Sanitation Day, held in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
He emphasised that safe sanitation and hygiene is not just a matter of public health, but also a critical component of sustainable development.
“In recent times the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Environment has made several efforts towards the delivery of sanitation and hygiene mandates to the Nigerian citizenry. The Ministry has reviewed and updated the 2005 National Environmental Sanitation Policy and its implementation Guidelines to meet the present emerging and re-emerging sanitation challenges.” He explained.
Mr Lawal further stressed that sanitation and hygiene is a collective responsibility that requires the concerted efforts of government, private sector, communities and individuals.
The Minister, “ said the advent of emerging and re-emerging diseases such as COVID-19, cholera, monkeypox, dengue fever, has further underscored the fact that access to sanitation and hygiene is an essential need.
“This year’s theme holds a step further than business as usual by emphasising not just the provision of sanitation facilities but also the importance of managing them safely to prevent disease.”
“I use this opportunity to solicit the support of Development Partners, Non-governmental Organizations, Organized Private Sector and every individual to work together to promote a culture of cleanliness and good hygiene practices. In this regard, I call upon the media to play a pivotal role in propagating sanitation and hygiene campaigns and awareness, leveraging their platforms to drive positive behavior change and inspire a nationwide commitment to environmental sanitation.” He stated.
The Minister explained that the Federal Ministry of Environment will mark this year event with Nasarawa State on the scheduled date while other states including the FCT are expected to commemorate the event as well.
“In view of the above, commemoration of the 2025 National Environmental Sanitation Day will include the following activities, some of which have already commenced
Ministerial Press Briefing which is holding today clean-up exercise in communities on 16th July, 2025
National Environmental Sanitation Day main event commemoration on 17th July 2025.” He said.
The Minister also urged States government that have not yet reinstated the monthly environmental sanitation (clean-up) exercise, to do so, to maintain clean environments and protect the health and well-being of citizens.
“I would like to commend the states in Nigeria that have reinstated the monthly environmental sanitation (clean-up) exercise, demonstrating their commitment to keeping our environment clean and promoting public health. This initiative is crucial in preventing sanitation-related diseases and fostering a sense of community responsibility.” He said.
The Minister, called on Nigerians to join hands in promoting safe sanitation and hygiene practices to create a cleaner, healthier environment for future generations.
Representative from the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Nigeria Dr. Edwin Edeh said that the event also is a reminder on the need for us to invest in sanitation.
“For every four lives lost in Nigeria, one person could wish they addressed, adequately environmental risk factors including sanitation, climate change and also issues relating to chemicals.
“As you may know, safe sanitation and hygiene are very mutually exclusive and they are foundational for this prevention, advancing social medical meaningful and also protecting public health and safety.
“And of course, that problem has not been solved by the 48 million in the United States population, which defines the risk of cholera and other communicable diseases in the country.”
“Today is also a reminder that the decision is not a privilege, it is a fundamental human right, it is a fundamental right which aligns with the World Health Assembly Regulations 64 and 24,’’ Edeh said.
The National Environmental Sanitation Day is commemorated on June 28th of every year.
It Is a national advocacy and sensitization day dedicated to increasing awareness and the importance of sanitation and hygiene as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases, save lives as well as meeting SDGs 3 and 6 by 2030.
It was instituted in June 2005 at the launch of the National Environmental Sanitation Policy when then President of Nigeria declared 28th June of every year as National Environmental Sanitation Day (NESD).
The theme for this year’s event “Safe Sanitation and Hygiene for Disease Prevention” aligns with the National Strategic Plan of Action for Cholera Control (NSPACC) 2024-2029.