The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that only 16 percent of Nigerians have access to basic handwashing facilities in their homes.
UNICEF Nigeria representative, Chisom Adimorah, made this known on Wednesday during the 2025 Global Handwashing Day celebration, organised by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in partnership with development agencies.
Adimorah described the situation as alarming, noting that “five out of every six people still lack access to basic handwashing facilities.” She called for collective action from the government, private sector, development partners, and individuals to bridge the hygiene gap.
She reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to helping Nigeria review and update its national hygiene strategies in line with the new WHO/UNICEF Global Hand Hygiene Guidelines.
In his remarks, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Joseph Utsev, stressed that hand hygiene is essential to public health, describing it as a life-saving practice that protects the very life water sustains.
He added that the Nigerian Roadmap to Hand Hygiene for All, launched in September 2022, continues to serve as a vital guide for national hygiene promotion.
Also speaking, Aghogho Gbetsere, who represented the Minister of Environment, urged Nigerians to make handwashing a daily habit, noting that it can reduce diarrheal diseases by up to 50 percent and respiratory infections by 25 percent.
