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Millions of Nigerian children continue to grow up without access to clean water, safe sanitation and basic hygiene facilities, according to recent data highlighting the country’s persistent WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) crisis.
Figures show that about 70 per cent of Nigerian children lack access to essential WASH services, exposing them to preventable diseases and limiting their opportunities to learn and thrive. More than 161 million Nigerians rely on contaminated water sources, while only six per cent of healthcare facilities provide basic WASH services.
Save the Children International in a statement disclosed that the situation remains particularly challenging in schools, where over 10 million children lack access to basic sanitation facilities. Poor water and sanitation conditions contribute to the spread of diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid, with diarrhoeal diseases claiming more than 70,000 lives of children under five annually.
Experts say inadequate WASH services also affect education, as many children miss school due to illness, while girls are disproportionately impacted by the lack of safe sanitation facilities.
The organisation stated that the crisis is more severe in rural and underserved communities, where families often depend on unsafe water sources and lack access to improved sanitation facilities. Limited infrastructure and inadequate investment in water systems have left many communities vulnerable to recurring outbreaks of waterborne diseases and environmental contamination.
According to available statistics, only 26.5 per cent of Nigerians have access to improved drinking water sources and sanitation facilities, while an estimated 22 per cent of the population still practises open defecation. Development experts warn that without accelerated action, millions of children will continue to face health risks and barriers to education.
Speaking ahead of the 2026 Day of the African Child, themed “Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Africa,” Deputy Country Director Jane Mbagi Mutua called for urgent action by governments, development partners, communities and the private sector to expand access to sustainable WASH services.
Muhammad Aminu, House Leader, Katsina State Children’s Parliament, stressed that every African child deserves clean water, safe sanitation and good hygiene, describing access to WASH services as an investment in health, education, dignity and the continent’s future.
Stakeholders have urged increased funding, stronger implementation of national WASH strategies and intensified efforts to end open defecation, which is still practised by an estimated 22 per cent of the population.
