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Reckitt West and East Africa has reaffirmed its commitment to improving public health through hygiene education.
The reaffirmation was made by the Head of External Affairs, Media and Partnerships, Cassandra Uzo-Ogbugh, while speaking at a Lagos event to mark the Global Handwashing Day2026, sponsored by Dettol, its popular brand.
“At Reckitt, we are committed to putting better health in more hands, every day. Through our Clean Naija Initiative, we are helping improve hygiene behaviours and build healthier communities across Nigeria. The Dettol Hygiene Quest, delivered in partnership with the Wellbeing Foundation Africa, is one of the ways we bring this commitment to life.
Having reached more than six million schoolchildren over the past decade, we are on track to reach an additional five million by 2030. Global Handwashing Day provides an important opportunity to bring together government, educators, community partners and volunteers to reinforce the simple hygiene practices which help prevent illness and support healthier futures for children and families across Nigeria” Uzo-Ogbugh said.
Activities were also held in Kano, Rivers and Abuja, to equip students and communities with practical handwashing skills and encourage them to champion better hygiene. The activities aligned with this year’s theme, “Be a Handwashing Hero,” which calls on individuals to make handwashing a daily habit and inspire others to do the same.
According to UNICEF, three in five Nigerians do not have basic handwashing facilities at home, highlighting the continued need for collective action to improve access to hygiene education, facilities and behaviour change interventions.
In Abuja, the commemoration took place in Kwali Area Council in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, and brought together government representatives, development partners and community leaders to advance efforts to improve hand hygiene and prevent infectious diseases.
Representing the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev, FNSE, the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Ali Ibrahim Dallah, highlighted the need for coordinated action to improve hand hygiene nationwide.
The Minister called on state governments to develop and implement hand hygiene action plans within six months. He also noted that the planned national hand hygiene campaign aims to reach approximately one million Nigerians through physical and digital activities. Urging students and young people to make handwashing with soap a daily habit, the Minister said, “Be a Handwashing Hero, not only today, but every day!”
The Wellbeing Foundation Africa hosted educational programmes reaching over 1000 students and community members. Through presentations, practical demonstrations and interactive group sessions led by Reckitt employees, students learnt how germs spread and practised proper handwashing techniques. They also shared their perspectives on the qualities of a Handwashing Hero, highlighting the role they can play in promoting positive hygiene behaviour beyond the classroom.
Founder and President of Wellbeing Foundation Africa, Mrs Toyin Ojora Saraki, represented by Adanna Maduka, Director of Policy, Partnerships and Grants, emphasised the value of integrating hygiene education into school curricula to help children develop lasting habits and influence positive change.
“I have long held that hygiene is a lesson for life as much as a lesson in health, which is why the Hygiene Quest is delivered through our Clean Naija Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene curriculum. PSHE provides a curriculum-based foundation for our partnership, complementing foundational learning by equipping every child with the knowledge, habits and confidence to keep themselves and others well. To support continued practice in participating schools, Dettol and The Wellbeing Foundation Africa presented handwashing materials, including handwash stations.
The activities form part of Dettol Hygiene Quest, a hygiene programme created by Dettol and implemented by the Wellbeing Foundation Africa. Through this initiative, Dettol is delivering hygiene education across schools, communities and healthcare centres in Nigeria. By2030, it aims to reach 11 million children and help them turn what they learn into lasting habits, so that safer hygiene practices become the norm at home, in school and in the community.
