The Federal Government has disclosed that fewer than 36 per cent of Nigerians have access to improved toilet facilities, raising concerns over persistent sanitation challenges and their associated public health risks.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja to commemorate the 2026 World Toilet Day.
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Lawal, who was represented by the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Mrs Omotunde Adeola, said several public places, including markets, motor parks, schools and communities, still lacked adequate and functional toilet facilities.
He warned that the situation was contributing to open defecation, contamination of food and water sources, and the spread of sanitation-related diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
According to the minister, inadequate sanitation poses serious threats to public health, environmental safety and human dignity.