The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev, has called for collective action to improve handwashing practices and prevent disease outbreaks, describing handwashing with soap and water as non-negotiable.
Utsev made the call on Tuesday at a news conference in Abuja ahead of the 2026 Global Handwashing Day, scheduled for October 15, to promote hygiene awareness.
He described handwashing as an affordable public health measure to prevent diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, and some respiratory infections, particularly during outbreaks and public health emergencies.
The minister said the 2026 theme, “Be a Handwashing Hero!”, was designed to promote consistent hand hygiene, especially during disease outbreaks and public health emergencies across Nigerian communities.
“Being a handwashing hero does not require extraordinary powers. It simply requires a commitment to wash our hands with soap and water at critical times and encourage others to do the same,” he said.
Utsev stressed that awareness campaigns must be supported by functional handwashing facilities, reliable water supplies, adequate soap, supportive policies and behavior-change interventions to encourage consistent hygiene practices.
He said planned activities for the commemoration included media campaigns, a road walk, and community sensitization, while the main national celebration would take place on October 15 at the Kwali Area Council in Abuja.
The minister urged state governments, development partners, civil society organizations and the private sector to support efforts to expand access to handwashing facilities and strengthen hygiene education.
He said the campaign aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 6.2, which seeks to ensure adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, particularly vulnerable populations.
Utsev also called on the media to sustain public awareness before, during and after the commemoration, highlighting its role in promoting behavioural change and disseminating practical hygiene messages.
“Let us all rise to the challenge and become handwashing heroes, not only on Global Handwashing Day but every day,” he said.
Earlier, the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Mr Ali Dallah, called for sustained public education and the provision of functional handwashing facilities to improve hygiene and prevent disease.
Dallah, who was represented by the Director of Water Quality Control and Sanitation, Mr Habu Jamilu, said the ministry was working with stakeholders through the National Task Group on Sanitation (NTGS) and its Department of Water Quality Control and Sanitation to improve hygiene practices.
He urged the media and other partners to promote regular handwashing and support access to soap and water to prevent diseases and improve public health outcomes.
The data from Nigeria’s 2021 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) survey showed that about 69 percent of households lacked handwashing facilities on their premises.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Billionaire’s Son Marries Spider-Man Actor’s Ex-wife
Although 99 percent of households knew at least two critical times for handwashing, only 17 percent of Nigerians had access to basic hygiene services.
The survey also found that only eight per cent of household heads interviewed demonstrated proper handwashing with soap under running water.
Additionally, 23 percent of Nigerians lacked basic water supply services, highlighting persistent gaps in access to water and hygiene infrastructure across the country.
