North Western states in Nigeria – Sokoto, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Katsina – have declared that they would increase budgetary allocations dedicated funding in their 2026 budgets to improve sanitation and hygiene.
They the commitment on Thursday at a two-day regional conference held in Sokoto, where officials from the states met to agree on a joint scheme against open defecation.
The UNICEF under its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene programme, organized the conference which focused on the Sanitation Voucher Initiative, a programme designed to support vulnerable households in building toilet facilities.
The Zamfara State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ahmad Garba, declaried the initiative as a “health and moral obligation,” adding that open defecation majorly causes disease outbreaks, especially in underserved rural communities.
“Not every household can afford to build a toilet. That’s why this voucher programme is a powerful intervention. Zamfara is fully committed—we are aligning our policies, funding, and outreach to end open defecation,” Garba said.
He said both Islam and Christianity teach hygiene and environmental cleanliness, adding that ending open defecation should be viewed not only as a public health duty, but also as a religious and cultural imperative.
On insecurity, Garba said Katsina State was a model of resilience and determination, adding that 33 out of 34 LGAs in the state have been declared open defecation-free despite grappling with security challenges.
“We are learning from Katsina. Their achievement shows that with the right strategies, progress is possible even under tough conditions,” he said.
Commissioners, local government chairmen, environmental specialists and other stakeholders who attended the conference, called for greater inter-state collaboration, community engagement, and involvement of traditional and religious institutions.
“We’re returning home with a renewed mandate. We will involve district heads, imams, pastors, and community influencers. Open defecation is not just a health risk, it is socially unacceptable,” Garba said.
The states said they would include sanitation-focused programmes into their upcoming budget cycles, as Nigeria races against time to meet its national target of ending open defecation by 2030, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The delegates said the sanitation voucher scheme was a cost-effective and people-driven approach to achieving clean, safe, and dignified communities across the Northwest region.
