By Abdullahi Lukman
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged the news media to help amplify children’s voices on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) issues and hold governments accountable for their commitments in North-West Nigeria.
Mr Rahama Farah, Chief of UNICEF Field Office Kano, made the call on Tuesday during a media dialogue on WASH services in the two states.
He stressed that inadequate WASH facilities in schools and health centres pose serious risks to children’s health, learning and dignity.
According to Farah, schools and health facilities host large and diverse populations and can become hotspots for disease transmission when clean water, toilets and handwashing stations are lacking.
He noted that poor WASH conditions contribute to school absenteeism—especially among girls—and the spread of infections, undermining Sustainable Development Goals on education and universal access to WASH.
Citing findings from the 2021 WASHNORM II survey, Farah said only 11 per cent of schools nationwide have access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene services, with even lower figures in rural northwest Nigeria.
In Kano and Jigawa states, he added, just six per cent of health facilities have basic WASH services.
He acknowledged progress by Jigawa and Katsina states toward open defecation-free status but warned that handwashing facilities remain inadequate, leaving millions of children vulnerable to preventable diseases such as diarrhoea and cholera.
Farah disclosed that UNICEF, with donor support, is assisting governments to improve WASH services in schools and health facilities.
He highlighted a £19 million investment by the UK Government in 2025 under the Climate Resilient for Basic Infrastructure (CRIBS) programme, which supported 84 climate-resilient health and education facilities in Kano and Jigawa states.
He attributed these gains to collaboration among UNICEF, the Federal Government, the UK Government and other partners, and urged the media to intensify advocacy, spotlight WASHNORM gaps, demand budget transparency and track allocations for essential facilities.
Farah reminded journalists of their critical role in holding all levels of government accountable to their commitments under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.