Lawrence Olaoye ABUJA 
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi- Osinbajo, has said that Nigeria would have to triple her current investments and access stakeholders’ contributions in order to attain global sanitation targets.
According to a release by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said this on Friday while declaring open the 2022 World Toilet Summit in Abuja, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, whom he represented at the event.
“For Nigeria, we will need to triple current investments in the Sector. But with the current fiscal constraints, this additional expenditure cannot be accommodated by Government budgetary provisions alone. We will require the contribution of our partners and stakeholders.
“While governments must acknowledge their role in providing the needed leadership to rally all other stakeholders in contributing to improved and sustainable access to sanitation services, the development sector, private sector, civil society, research institutions, media, and other stakeholders, must also play their roles by bringing in the technical expertise, finance, advocacy, and by promoting innovative and scalable approaches towards strengthening systems for accelerated progress,” he added.
Emphasizing the need for partnership and collaboration in tackling global sanitation crisis for wholesome development, Osinbajo noted that, “it will require the quadrupling of the current rate of progress to meet up with the 2030 target date.”
The Vice President called for more investments and partnership in the Sanitation sector to meet development targets, as well as in maximising the country’s sanitation economy potential.
Commenting on the sanitation economy potential, the Vice President observed that “while the demand for sanitation services is being generated through the social and behaviour change communications approach of the Campaign, we also recognise the need to strengthen the supply side of the value chain and maximize the sanitation economy potential in the country.”
He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target for Sanitation, which seeks to “achieve by 2030, access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.”
Noting the flooding across many communities nation wide, which wreaked havoc on lives and properties, Osinbajo said that, that demonstrated the urgent need to address the nation’s sanitation challenges.
The Vice President also noted that, “the drive to end open defecation through the ‘Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet’ Campaign is progressively gaining traction and accelerating access to sanitation services in the country with a total of 85 Local Government Areas LGA-wide Open Defecation Free status (ODF) recorded.”
In separate goodwill messages at the event, the founder of the World Toilet Organization, Prof. Jack Sim; representatives of UNICEF; the Organized Private Sector in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (OPS-WASH); and other stakeholders, commended the Federal Government’s support and determination in attaining the open defecation free status in the shortest time possible.