The Federal Government has unveiled two major policy blueprints addressing Nigeria’s long-term infrastructure and social development priorities: a renewed national campaign to tackle open defecation and gender inequality in sanitation, alongside a strategic presidential manifesto targeting job creation and power sector expansion.
Speaking ahead of the 2026 World Toilet Day celebration scheduled for November 19, the Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, warned that inadequate sanitation coverage remains a severe public health crisis.
Represented in Abuja by Mrs. Omotunde Adeola, Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, the minister revealed that national access to improved sanitation currently stands below 36 per cent. Women, children, and vulnerable groups bear a disproportionate share of the burden.
Under the theme “Sanitation and Gender Equality” and tagline “Safe Toilets, Equal Futures,” the ministry announced a National Dialogue on Faecal Sludge Management for November 23, 2026, bringing together seven selected states and the Federal Capital Territory to establish sustainable waste treatment frameworks.
Simultaneously, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presented its 2027–2031 presidential manifesto, setting measurable economic and developmental targets. Highlights include halving the out-of-school children population by 2031, installing seven million additional electricity meters, and generating one million export-linked jobs for young Nigerians by 2030.
Ministers and key administration officials emphasized that the four-pillar agenda—focused on national security, affordable living standards, infrastructure growth, and accountable governance—will serve as a performance benchmark for citizens to hold leadership accountable over the coming four years.
