As Nigeria gears up to mark the 2025 National Environmental Sanitation Day (NESD), the Federal Government has called on all states to reinstate the monthly environmental sanitation exercise as a key measure to safeguard public health and prevent disease outbreaks.
Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, made the appeal during a press briefing ahead of the NESD commemoration, which holds annually on June 28. This year’s theme is “Safe Sanitation and Hygiene for Disease Prevention.”
Speaking through Engr. Dr. Bahijjahtu Abubakae, Director of Pollution and Environmental Health at the ministry, the Minister stressed that while the provision of sanitation infrastructure is important, proper and consistent management of these facilities is even more critical in preventing disease.
Lawal highlighted the alarming health consequences of poor sanitation, particularly among vulnerable groups. He revealed that over 3.5 million children in Nigeria suffer from diarrheal diseases annually due to inadequate sanitation and hygiene, resulting in high mortality rates, especially in children under five.
“These diseases not only claim lives but also have serious economic implications—from high medical expenses to reduced productivity and lost economic opportunities,” he noted.
He further warned that poor sanitation leads to the contamination of water sources, soil, and air, posing long-term environmental and public health risks.
Describing sanitation as a fundamental human right, Lawal expressed concern that many communities across the country still lack access to basic sanitation, leaving millions at risk of preventable waterborne diseases.
He reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Environment’s commitment to improving hygiene and sanitation nationwide and urged states to collaborate with the federal government in implementing effective sanitation initiatives, including the revival of the monthly clean-up exercises.
The National Environmental Sanitation Day serves as a platform to raise awareness on the importance of good sanitation practices and the role of every Nigerian in promoting a cleaner, healthier environment.
