Nigeria has recorded a significant achievement in its national sanitation efforts as Katsina State officially gained Open Defecation Free (ODF) status on Tuesday, becoming only the second state in the country to reach this important milestone after Jigawa State.
National Sanitation Breakthrough Celebrated
The declaration was made during the sixth anniversary celebrations of the Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet Campaign and the 2025 World Toilet Day event held in Abuja. This achievement marks a major step forward in Nigeria's efforts to improve sanitation standards across the nation.
Representing Vice President Kashim Shettima, Special Adviser to the President on Humanitarian and Development Partnerships, Inna Binta Audu, congratulated Katsina State on its remarkable accomplishment. She reaffirmed the Federal Government's strong commitment to completely eradicating open defecation throughout Nigeria.
Government Strengthens Sanitation Efforts
Audu revealed that President Bola Tinubu has signed the revised Presidential Executive Order 009 to enhance sanitation enforcement across the country. The updated order aims to expand private-sector participation in sanitation initiatives and deepen accountability mechanisms as Nigeria works toward the new 2030 ODF target.
The presidential adviser confirmed that more than 150 local government areas have now been verified as Open Defecation Free, representing substantial progress in the national sanitation campaign. She also highlighted that between 2019 and 2024, over 23 million Nigerians gained access to improved sanitation facilities.
While celebrating these achievements as evidence of what collective action can accomplish, Audu emphasized that millions of Nigerians still lack access to safe sanitation, indicating that more work remains to be done.
States Recognized for Outstanding Performance
The event also served as a platform to recognize several states for their exceptional contributions to sanitation improvement. Kwara State emerged as a standout performer, receiving the award for consistency in sanitation financing. The state also shared the prestigious Trailblazer Award and recognition for excellence in public finance and utilization with Bauchi and Jigawa States.
In the State Category Award, Benue and Kwara were honored for their efforts, while Bauchi, Jigawa, and Kano received recognition for strong institutional and regulatory performance in the sanitation sector.
The award for outstanding multi-sectoral collaboration went to Cross River and Kano States, and the advocacy category was won by Borno, Kano, and Kaduna States, demonstrating widespread commitment to sanitation improvement across multiple regions.
Fifteen local government areas from Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Yobe, Sokoto, and Zamfara received new ODF certificates, reflecting the expanding national momentum toward improved sanitation standards.
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, expressed his satisfaction with the progress achieved over the past six years. He confirmed that Nigeria now has 158 ODF-verified local government areas, showing steady advancement toward the national sanitation goals.
